


Project Valentine

by Kaillingme (Setty94)



Category: EXO (Band), K-pop
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Drama & Romance, Drugs, Fluff, M/M, Musicians, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-11-17
Updated: 2017-05-24
Packaged: 2018-11-04 14:31:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 128,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10992864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Setty94/pseuds/Kaillingme
Summary: (Transferred work from another site.)[College AU] College is a bitch and Valentine's Day sucks when you're single. That's pretty much it.Pretty much a huge story building up to Valentine's Day.





	1. Foreward

**Author's Note:**

> For true word count: subtract 1298 from the final total.
> 
> Also chapter are posted by parts. They get *really* long.

 

 

ღ Valentines Day ღ

 noun (n) - A day for couples to prance around, rubbing it in the faces of all those currently living the single life, that they are in a happy committed relationship. A hallmark holiday with the sole purpose of robbing every committed couple of countless dollars spent on cheap chocolates and pre-written cards. A day often spent alone by millions and together by even more. A day of love and a day of hatred. How can one day have such an impact on a person's life? In the end, there are two choices: be single or be in a relationship.

 

 

♚ College ♚

noun (n) - Many have different views of what it should be like. Some see it as a never ending party, while others see it as the springboard of their life that will catapult them to their dream career. Whatever the case may be, everyone knows that college is an important time in your life, whether you decide to use it for your benefit or not. It is here that one may find the love of their life, or lose the one they thought they had found. It is here that twelve guys will change their lives before the dreaded day. Valentine's Day.

 

 

❧ Main pairings are ❧

Baekyeol

Kaisoo

Hunhan

Taoris

 

❧ Side pairings are ❧

established Sulay

established Xiuchen

broken Kray

 

 

 

⇝ Mild Warning ⇜

There are some darker themes that will be addressed in this fic such as drug use, violence, and smut. If you cannot handle such things, I am sincerely sorry, there's nothing I can do. u.u

 

 Preview of Pairings

 

❤ Baekyeol ❤

 

Chanyeol stared out at the pulsing crowd. The majority of the people had their hands in the air, waving them around wildly as geared up to his drum solo. He was looking for that one fan that always had a knack of showing up right before he played his solo. He bobbed his head in time with his foot and raised his arms above his head for the entrance.

He slammed down on the set, wrists maneuvering effortlessly as the roar of the crowd increased. He opened his eyes and met the heavily lined ones in the center of the crowd. Adrenaline coursed through his veins and he began to freestyle a rap to the beat of his drums. The crowd went wild and the dark haired fan smirked.

Chanyeol flicked his wrist and struck the symbol lightly to signify the end of his freestyle. The lead singer stopped his dancing and sauntered up to the microphone and began singing in his raspy voice.

The dark haired fan winked at him and disappeared into the crowd. Chanyeol felt a small part of him die. He wanted his dark haired vixen to return. There was something about the way his tight fitting jeans hugged his thick thighs. Something about the perfectly ripped shirt always showed just enough skin to tease him. Something about the black studded choker around his neck that drove him insane.

 

 

 

❤ Kaisoo ❤

 

Kai passed by Kyungsoo’s dorm and stared up at the black window. A pang sharpened in his heart. He kept his face perfectly neutral and balled his fists in his pockets. He could not believe things had taken a turn for the worst, but at the same time he knew it was his fault. He just could not let people get close to him. The thought scared him. He was afraid of falling in love and yet he knew he already did.

 

 

 

❤ Hunhan ❤

 

Luhan chewed on the eraser of his pencil. He glanced down at the margins of his notes. He had drawn dozens of little Sehuns there. One was licking a lollipop and another was sipping bubble tea. There was one that he had sitting in a small field of flowers with his eyes closed. Luhan smiled down at them and then looked back up at his teacher. She explaining to them that graphic design was not all about becoming the next great artist. Luhan tuned her out. He heard this speech almost every day from her. He knew she was lecturing the slackers in the class and quite honestly this was the only class he was not slacking in.

He closed his notebook and gave her a nod as he left the classroom. She watched him go before she continued her lecture. They had a mutual understanding since Luhan was the top of the class. He took a deep breath as he walked to the café where Sehun worked. He hoped he was there today. He still did not know his schedule just yet. He had been there on Tuesday but not Wednesday or Thursday. He only wanted to see him once more before he formally made his move on him. He knew it was not going to be easy, since just getting Sehun to talk to him was already such a hassle.

 

 

 

❤ Taoris ❤

 

Kris apparently had a type. His eyes nearly bugged out of his head when he spotted Tao, sporting a pair of thick rimmed glasses, a black pinstriped jacket with little hexagonal studs on the left lapel, and a black and grey patterned shirt. He had on black tight fitting jeans and his hair blew back from his forehead from the wind. He looked absolutely stunning. Kris’s heart rate sped up and then his stomach dropped. He was talking animatedly to a familiar face next to him. Yixing.

 _‘Ugh. How do they even know each other?’_ Kris thought to himself as he attempted to disappear into thin air. A feat which was quite difficult considering his height.

Tao saw him and waved him over. “Kris!”

Kris blanched as soon as he made eye contact with Yixing. He forced a smile on his face as Tao jogged over to him. Upon closer inspection, he noticed tiny flecks on paint in both of their hair. He had such a soft spot for the artistic soul.

 

 

 

❤ Sulay ❤

 

It wasn't often that Yixing saw Kris. But every now and then he would catch a glimpse of the blonde man and a part of him would mourn the loss. He stared down at the tall figure talking to another figure holding a long stick. He recognized him in an instant. Huang Zitao was not only his best friend and partner for their art project, but also a terribly sweet guy despite his appearance. He saw the shy smile on both of their faces as they turned away. He glanced over at the sleeping man under his sheets and smiled. He hoped everything would work out for Kris as things had worked out for him. If he needed to, he would give them both that little push they needed.

 

 

 

❤ Xiuchen ❤

 

 

"I swear to God! If Luhan prattles on about that stupid barista, _Sehun,_  one more time I am going to throw him out the window!" Minseok exclaimed as he entered Jongdae's room.

Jongdae glanced up at him and raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like someone is jealous." He was sitting at his computer typing in some code for the next prank he was going to pull on the college's computer Ethernet. His fingers flew over the keyboard and took a swig of the redbull he had sitting on his desk.

Minseok stared at him. "How long have you been up?"

"Three days." Jongdae murmured as he continued typing furiously. He wiped his bleary eyes and yawned. "I'm almost done. I just have to write two more lines and then everything is a go."

Minseok shook his head and cleaned off the empty cans on Jongdae's desk. "Dae, this isn't healthy, you need to rest."

Jongdae laughed. "Relax. I'm almost done." He pressed the enter key with finality and spun around in his chair. "Finished! This one is going to be a riot!"


	2. Pieces of the Puzzle

Kai opened his eyes and sat up quickly. His vision swam before him and his head was pounding. He reached into his nightstand drawer and took a couple of pain killers and rolled back on his back. He was used to the adverse effects of partying all night. It was nothing special. He felt something move beside him and stared at the naked girl lying next to him. He poked her cheek until she opened one eye. “Time for you to get lost.”

She made an indignant sound and climbed over him. She quickly pulled on her skimpy dress and flipped him off as she left. Kai watched all of this with a smirk. He slid out of his bed and tugged on a shirt he hoped was clean.

He enjoyed keeping everyone on their toes, never letting anyone in close enough to really get to know him. That was his reputation and he was determined to keep it that way. No one really knew his true self. Well, except for Luhan, but he was a special case. He had known him since they were children and Luhan was a bit of a foil to him. Where Kai was all aloof and standoffish, Luhan invited everyone in his life with open arms. Kai shook his head, the stupid kid was going to continue to get hurt.

Kai walked into his kitchen and began brewing a pot of coffee. He leaned against the counter and listened to the noises of the campus. He had his own dorm, which was meant for two people, but Kai, being the way he was, kicked him out. His previous roommate never said anything about it and Kai never even knew his name. In the end it did not matter.

 He liked being alone. It meant that he had quiet mornings. It meant that he could watch whatever he wanted on the television. It meant that he could play his music as loud as he wanted to and come back as late as he wanted to. His inclination for being alone seeped into his love life as well. He never had been in a formal relationship, just flings lasting anywhere from a few hours to his longest one yet, a few days.

It was not that he didn’t like people, he just could not handle being around them for too long. He knew it stemmed from his upbringing, but that did not bother him. He was who he was and he liked it that way. If it meant that he would have to find another person to hook up with for tonight, or the coming nights, he was not perturbed. People flocked to him, regardless of his reputation, and he used that to his advantage.

The coffee maker beeped and Kai poured himself a mug. He held it in his hands to warm them and glanced at the clock. He had class in an hour and he was not looking forward to it.

Kai walked into the classroom and groaned. He had no intentions of taking a cooking class. He only had this class because something had happened to his schedule and he ended up without the minimum number of classes he had to take each semester. The admissions office alerted him of the mistake and he was dropped into a class that still had space.

He examined the room carefully. There were stoves lining the eastern wall below the windows. The floor was tile, most likely because of spills that would occur, and the tables all had sinks built in and a set of cutting knives and other various kitchen utensils. There was a wide eyed young man perched on one of the stool that were at each individual table.

Kai dragged his feet as he made his way to the table directly behind the small onyx haired man. His eyes took in every detail of his classmate, from the rigidness of his back to the way he tucked his legs, firmly pressed together, on the bar that connected the stool's legs together. He observed the gentle slope of his narrow shoulders and the curve of his plush pink lips.

Kai raised his eyebrow in appreciation. The guy was pretty cute, not his type exactly, but definitely cute. He sighed as he waited for the teacher to enter the room. His classmate seemed to not have noticed his presence, or was ignoring him, so Kai remained silent. He picked up a rolling pin and spun the barrel. The minutes ticked by. If his teacher was not there in fifteen minutes, he was allowed to leave, as were the rules of the college for no show days.

A woman holding a stack of papers, hair in a frenzied auburn mess around her head, burst through the doors. “I’m here! This is not a free day! I showed up!” She yelled breathlessly.

Kai frowned slightly. He was hoping for a free day. He watched as she dumped the stack of papers on her desk and turned the electronic board at the front of the classroom on. Then his eyes were drawn back to the young man, who was on his feet helping the teacher pull a large bowl from the lower cabinet. They hefted it on the instructing table to the side of the board and the guy returned to his seat, carefully avoiding Kai’s gaze.

Kai made a sound of disapproval and leaned back in his stool until there were only two legs left on the floor. He balanced himself, wobbling slightly, and then returned to the proper seating position when the teacher gave him a look.

She flattened her hands against her skirt and bit her lip. She grabbed a pen shaped tool and wrote her name on the board. _Ms. Jin_ She turned back around and smiled tensely. “My name is Ms. Jin.” She looked around the classroom once more and her shoulders drooped a little. "It is my first year teaching here.”

Kai grinned slightly. The woman was easy to read. Her hands fluttered nervously by her sides and her face was honest. He could easily lie to her and she’d believe him. He began thinking of excuses that he would use to get out of doing assignments. He was snapped from his reverie when she rustled through her papers and pulled up a roster. He glanced around the room and groaned internally.

She tapped her lip in contemplation. “Well I guess this is the class size then.” She looked up from the roster and met Kai’s eyes and her smile faltered. He was used to that. Almost every teacher treated him the same way at first impression. She glanced at the young man in front of him and said, “I guess we should just get to know each other?”

Kai scoffed. “So does that mean we get an A for the semester?”

The dark haired man turned his head slightly in Kai’s direction and rolled his eyes. “Typical.” He muttered under his breath.

Kai watched him curiously. He had not said two words to the guy and he was already judged him. _‘Whatever.’_ Kai thought as he shrugged.

Ms. Jin smiled at Kai and shook her head. “No, that just means that we’re going to have a lot of one on one time together.” She clapped her hands together cheerfully. “Hopefully, by the end of this semester, you both will be five star chefs!”

The guy in front of him scoffed while Kai threw his head back and laughed. Kai narrowed his eyes at the back of his head. _‘Alright. What’s this guy’s problem?’_ He leaned forward and was about to confront him when Ms. Jin interrupted.

“Uh, is there something wrong with that, um,” she glanced down at the roster, “Um, Jongin? Am I correct?”

Kai frowned slightly. “Yeah?”

She grinned. “I know you didn’t choose this class, but I do expect you to at least make the minimum grade in here.” She turned towards the boy, “You must be Kyungsoo.”

The dark haired man nodded. Kai raised his eyebrow. _‘So he has a name.’_

“Good.” She chirped. “I guess we should get to know each other then.”

“Okay.” Kyungsoo said slowly as he slid down from the stool. “I’m Do Kyungsoo, I moved here from a small town a couple states south of here. I really like cooking and I hope that you can teach me a lot this semester.” He bowed slightly and sat back down. He completely ignored Kai’s presence once more.

Kai was beginning to feel extremely unwanted. He leaned forward and blurted, “What’s your favorite color?”

Kyungsoo side eyed him. “Um, black.”

Kai nodded. “Do you have any hobbies?”

Kyungsoo frowned slightly. He refused to answer Kai. Ms. Jin shook her head and watched them with amusement.

Kai shrugged his shoulders, “You said to get to know each other.” Kyungsoo continued to stare straight ahead, ignoring Kai once again. Kai bristled. He stood up abruptly. “I’m Kim Jongin, but I go by Kai.” He watched as Ms. Jin jotted this down on her roster and continued. “I have lived here in this city my whole life.” He bit his lip. “I have never cooked before in my entire life. So I guess I will be learning a lot this semester. My favorite color is blue.” He started to sit down but then popped back up. “My hobby is dancing. I really like dancing. It’s more than just a hobby actually. It’s my life. It’s a passion. It’s what I want to do more than anything else in the world. It’s just…” he trailed off.

Kyungsoo had turned in his seat to look at Kai. His expression was unreadable. When he made eye contact with Kai he promptly turned back around.

Kai smiled and sat down. At least Kyungsoo no longer thought he was brainless.

Ms. Jin nodded her head. “Good. Now that we’re done with introductions, let’s get on with the lesson.” She turned to the electronic board and pulled up a slide show and began going over the classroom precautions and the course syllabus.

Kai sighed. This was going to be a long semester. He turned his focus to Kyungsoo and stared at the back of his head, watching his every move. He watched the way his shoulders rose gently as he breathed and the way his small hand reached behind his head and scratched every now and then. He was captivated by the way he sat perfectly straight for nearly the entire class, his legs pressed tightly together and his hands clasped in his lap. _‘This was one way to pass time.’_ Kai thought.

The class was over after an hour and a half. Kai grabbed his backpack from the floor and slung it over his shoulder.  He only had one more class today, his absolute favorite, dance. He grinned and waved cheerily to Ms. Jin on his way out. He was at the practice room in nearly two minutes and he tossed his backpack against the wall and rolled his shoulders. He closed his eyes and sank to the floor to begin stretching. He was tingling with anticipation of dancing.

 

**~*~**

 

Kyungsoo watched Kai leave and let out a sigh. “Bye, Ms. Jin.”

“Wait.” She called after him.

Kyungsoo froze by the door, his hand poised over the handle. “Yes?”

She beckoned him over to the bowl they had placed on the table. “I put this out here because tomorrow will be a test day. I want to see your skills.” She paused. “I am predicting that Jongin, I mean, Kai will need a lot of help.”

Kyungsoo kept his face neutral despite the butterflies that had begun flying around rapidly in his stomach. “You want me to tutor him?”

She nodded her head. “If it comes to that, yes.”

Kyungsoo bit his lip. He desperately wanted to do this, but he did not want to get close to Kai. He knew his reputation at the college. It had taken him two days of being there, surrounded by the gossip, of the reckless socialite. He knew his family was filthy rich and he also knew that Kai had a penchant for making people fall in love with him and then spurning them. He did not want to be added to that list of people. Everyone knew who they were and Kyungsoo was not too keen to be known as another of the rich boy’s flings.

Ms. Jin looked at him expectantly. “I’ll give you extra credit points on the midterm, if that helps?”

Kyungsoo smiled. “I’ll do it then.” He told himself that he’s be doing this for the grade and the grade alone.

Ms. Jin smiled. “Thank you.” Kyungsoo turned to leave but Ms. Jin called out after him again, “Don’t let other’s opinions cloud your judgment, okay? He’s not a bad kid.”

Kyungsoo stared at her and nodded slowly. He hated when people told him not to judge others. He trusted his judgment above all else. It had kept him out of trouble thus far and he knew it would continue to do so for the rest of his life. He rushed out the door and down the hall, looking for the vocal instructing room. People swarmed around him and he panicked. He barged through a door and froze. He had walked right into the wrong room. He shook his head and started to back out from where he came but his legs would not work. He was completely entranced by Kai’s dancing.

Kai’s body moved smoothly, one second and then he exploded into motion. A flurry of hand movements and complex footwork. He pirouetted and rolled his body. Kyungsoo watched him, spellbound. The music was much too loud for him to hear him enter and he could not be seen in the reflection of the mirror. He relaxed slightly because of the fact and leaned against the door while his gaze followed Kai as he used the entire expanse of the room to his advantage.

Kyungsoo stifled a gasp when Kai stopped dancing suddenly and addressed him, his back still facing Kyungsoo. “Do you want something?”

 _‘Yeah, you.’_ Kyungsoo made a garbled sound at his thought and fumbled with the door knob. He could not get out of there fast enough. His heart was beating rapidly and his hands were shaking so bad that he almost dropped his textbooks. He rounded a corner and found the vocal instruction room and closed the door behind him. ‘ _This was going to be an interesting semester._ ‘ He thought to himself as he tried to slow his speeding heart.

He closed his eyes as he slid to the floor. He was going to have to work very hard if he wanted to keep the distance between him and Kai. He figured it would be easy. They run in different circles. Different worlds really. Everything would be okay, he would be okay.

His mind wandered back to the frivolous worries of being single on Valentine ’s Day that plagued him this morning. He remembered waking up in a flurry, a cold sweat on his skin. He had dreamed that he was killed for not having a date. He knew it was a stupid dream, but when one had been single for nearly nineteen years, the mind loved to come up with all forms of torture. He would dream one night of something incredibly steamy and the next a terrifying nightmare of discovering he was the last man on earth. He was not quite sure why he was so obsessed with the idea of being in a relationship. He figured it was because the media portrayed love as the most glamorous thing in the world. He did not have any experience in that field, so he supposed it was true and he wanted it very badly.

 He briefly entertained the idea of him and Kai somehow ending up together, holding hands while the walked through the park and sharing milkshakes, but shook the thought from his head. Kai was not his type. He was the farthest from his type actually. He was pompous, arrogant, aloof, and a player. So he was not his type in the slightest.

Kyungsoo bit his lip while his vocal instructor gave him a strange look. He wrung his hands after he placed his books neatly on the floor next to his backpack. He would find someone else to focus his affections on. He knew he would. He had to.

 

**////**

 

Squeaks across the newly polished linoleum floor filled the air of the gymnasium. The sounds of rubber pounding against the glossy finish and hands connecting with the ball echoed as the crowd leaned forward in their seats. The tension in the air was palpable. Everyone was holding their breaths as the timer ticked down.

:10

:09

:08

The ball flew through the air and a player from the opposite team intercepted the catch. The crowd gasped. This was not supposed to happen. The home team had gone all season without a single defeat and now with only five seconds left on the board, both teams were still tied.

Kris ran after number forty seven at his coach’s screams from the sidelines and stole the ball from him. He dribbled it halfway down the court and stopped. There were only two seconds left. He jumped slightly as the ball left his fingers in a perfect arch flying towards the hoop. The crowd was hushed as the ball swished gracefully through.

The crowd erupted into cheers, hooting and stomping their feet on the stands. The cheerleading team began their victors, waving their green and white pompoms in the air and the crowd followed suit, yelling the cheers at the top of their lungs. Kris stared at the scoreboard in awe. He had just made the winning point for his team. They had gone undefeated for an entire season now. They would be headed for nationals now and then the Olympics if they kept this up. The college had never seen someone so gifted at the sport and Kris’s teammates clapped him on the back and hoisted him on their shoulders.

Kris smiled and waved his hands wildly while the crowd rumbled with excitement. He scanned the crowd for a particular face but could not find it. His teammates lowered him to the ground and they went over to shake the hands of the opposing team. “Good game.” Kris said as he shook each player’s hand. They repeated the same and congratulated him. He knew his name would become a household name in minutes as reporters swarmed the court.

They thrusted their microphones at his face. “How does it feel to be the best basketball player in the state, no wait, the country?”

Kris smiled politely. "It wasn’t just me, but my team. We work together very well.”

The reporter grinned and another one shoved him out of the way. “You have scored seventy points in one game. Tell us, how do you do it?”

Kris’s face darkened slightly, he tried to avoid thinking of the small black box at the bottom of his duffle bag. He was about to answer when his coach barreled through the crowd and pushed the reporters back. Kris watched him, suddenly bemused. Basketball had been his whole life. He wanted nothing more than to be recruited to play professionally and with his record he was well on his way. He already had a reputation in college basketball, and now his name would be on the lips of the officials.

Kris reached the locker room quickly and grabbed his duffle bag. He threw a green towel over his shoulder and waved with two fingers at his teammates, all in various forms of undress. His roommate jogged over to him, a towel around his waist and his hair dripping. “We’re going out for drinks later, to celebrate. Be there.”

Kris raised an eyebrow and chuckled. “As if I would miss that!” He was still smiling as he left the locker room. He breathed in the fresh air and sighed happily. The locker room always reeked of sweat and he wanted to take a shower in peace. He didn’t mind the communal showers, except for the fact that there was never enough hot water and he was the last to arrive in the locker room, meaning he’d have to wait even longer for hot water.

The school itself was in great condition, but the locker rooms were always in disarray. He knew it was because it was mainly a college for the arts, the most prestigious one in the country. He did not have an artistic bone in his body and only went to this college because of his boyfriend at the time. Once upon a time he wanted to transfer, but he had made so many close friends that he could not leave just yet.

He walked outside into the cool brisk air and looked up at the sky. There wasn’t a cloud in sight and the stars twinkled brightly. His phone buzzed in his pocket and he pulled it out. He glanced at the message which was from his roommate telling him to wear the green jersey to the bar. He exited out of the message after a quick reply and stared at the date. It was November 14th, exactly three months until Valentine ’s Day.

He wondered briefly who he would be buying a card for this year. This would be the first year he would be alone, having just broken up with Yixing the day after Valentine ’s Day earlier this year. They had been together for such a long time, that nine months later, he was still not quite over him. He scrolled through his contacts until he found his number. He stared at it for a couple minutes before he pressed delete. It was time to move on. He squared his shoulders and slipped his phone back in his pocket.

He continued walking forward, his mind preoccupied and slammed into another person. The person yowled and flashed him a seething look. Kris froze as the dark hair and equally dark eyes filled his vision. His face was all angles and intensity. His gaze was borderline hostile. His mouth was turned down into a frown and he was wearing a loose fitting black shirt and sweatpants. He was carrying a beautifully carved staff and a Gucci backpack.

Kris stared at him, his voice momentarily unusable. He cleared his throat awkwardly as the dark haired boy tapped his foot angrily. “Uh, sorry about that. I wasn’t watching where I was going.”

“Clearly.” The boy snapped. He turned and stomped away.

Kris stared at his retreating figure. Tonight was beginning to take a turn for the worse. He watched the young man walk down the sidewalk, twirling his staff absentmindedly. He wondered briefly what the guy’s name was, in case he needed to alert the authorities of who was the culprit of his mangled body found in a gutter somewhere. Kris chuckled to himself and then jogged after the guy. It probably was not best to leave such a negative impression on him.

“Hey!”

The boy turned around, nearly whacking Kris in the head with the staff. “What?”

“Uh, what’s your name?”

The boy crossed his arms defensively. “Why do you want to know?”

Kris scratched the back of his head nervously. “I’m Kris.”

He stared at him skeptical. “I’m Tao, why?”

Kris smiled and put out his hand. “Nice name. Sorry for running into you. But, I’d rather not leave you with such a bad impression of me.”

Tao shook his hand, his face a concoction of emotions. “O-oh, alright.” He tried to pull his hand from Kris’s grip when he didn’t let go and Kris released him as if he were searing his skin, his face growing warm.

“Uh, sorry, again.”

Tao shook his head. “Don’t worry about it.” He started to turn away but Kris raised his hand.

“Wait a sec!”

“Yeah?” Tao looked at him expectantly.

“I don’t know if you heard, but I just won the championship for the state.”

Tao nodded. “I know. I saw your winning shot. You’re pretty good.”

“Pretty good?”

“I don’t want you to get a big head.” Tao laughed. There was something freeing about his smile. Kris liked it.

Kris laughed. “Thank you?”

Tao smiled. “You’re welcome.” He turned to leave again but Kris stopped him once more.

“I think I’ve seen you around campus before?” It came out more of a question than he intended. He mentally slapped himself.

Tao gave him a look. “Okay? I don’t really follow basketball, but the commotion the stadium was making disturbed my meditation, so I watched from the door.”

“Oh.” Kris felt his shoulders fall.

“Like I said, you’re pretty good. I’ll be looking for your name in the newspaper.” He offered, smiling sweetly.

Kris perked up. “I – you –Thank you.” He turned. “I’ll be leaving. Sorry for taking up so much of your time.”

Tao called after him. “Uh, Kris?”

“Yeah?”

“You said you see me around school sometimes right? Truthfully I’ve never seen you outside of the gym.”

“Oh I usually see you, uh, around.” He was feeling awkward and stupid for going after him.

Tao smiled. “Oh, okay. Um, well it was nice meeting you.”

Kris half-smiled. “Yeah, likewise.”

Tao called out a series of numbers after him. “Call me.”

Kris blinked and then smiled to himself. He fished out his phone and stored his number. He turned and waved his phone in the air. Tao flashed him a smile and then left, pep in his step. Kris grinned and headed towards his dorm in high spirits. He had to meet the rest of the team in an hour.

 

**~*~**

 

Tao rounded the corner and then danced for joy. He knew he had lied to Kris when he told him he had never seen him. He also lied when he told Kris that he did not follow basketball. He was somewhat of an avid sports follower despite his major in the arts. He wanted to play a college sport, but his money was already limited and he had to choose between wushu and another sport. He chose wushu of course, since he had been training for most of his life.

He was also one of the few students here on a complete scholarship and financial aid. Unlike the majority of the people that went here, he did not come from a wealthy family. He was the first of his family to even go to college. He had not minded the simple life he lived, and even wished he could go back to it in his moments of weakness. There were too many nights spent staying up late, studying for tests he knew he would hardly pass, and working on projects he would barely get a satisfactory grade on. He was not strong in math, nor science. His real strength was in the arts and that was how he received his scholarship. He thought back to the day he was stopped by a man in a nice suit.

A scout happened to come across one of his paintings and asked him if he had any formal training. When he told the man no, he was immediately offered a business card and told to call him the next day to set up a schedule. Tao remembered the heat on his face when he told the man he did not have a phone. The man blinked at him and told him it would not be an issue and to just come by around nine.

When Tao arrived at the office, the man quickly ushered him inside and closed the door. He asked him about his past and family accomplishments. Tao told him that not much had been accomplished. Both of his parents worked low wage jobs and had only finished high school.

The man took note of this and pulled up a file on Tao. He scrolled down until he found what he was looking for and pulled out a pair of blueprints. “You designed these?”

Tao nodded. His town had taken his designs and used them to build the art museum which had his various sculptures and portraits on the walls.

“Architecture, sculpting, painting…” the man trailed off. “Is there anything you can’t do?”

Tao blushed. “Math and science are not my strongest subjects…” He offered.

The man waved his hand dismissively. “That doesn’t matter.” He leaned in towards Tao. “How does a full scholarship to the most prestigious college in the country sound?”

Tao was speechless. He knew he was pretty decent, but he did not think he was _that_ good. “I – uh, that sounds impossible.”

“Oh it’s very possible.”

Tao stared at the man. He could not believe he would be going to college. This would be the best news his family would ever hear.

Tao shook his head. He hated it when he got lost in his mind like that. It was dangerous. It allowed him to return to that night. A night he did not want to remember. He suddenly smiled as he thought of Kris and twirled his staff. He hoped he would call him. He had a strong feeling he would.

Tao walked up the steps to his dorm quietly. He knocked on the door three times and carefully opened the door. He had his eyes screwed shut and he called out in front of him. “Yixing? Are you decent?”

Yixing hit him over the head with a spatula. “Jeez, you act like I’m always romping around!”

Tao grinned. “Well, I don’t want to walk in on you and Junmyeon again.” He shut the door with his foot and leaned his staff against the wall. “I think three times is exactly three times too many.”

Yixing rolled his eyes and walked back to the kitchen. Tao watched him and skipped over to the sofa where he plopped himself down on gracefully. He was glad that Yixing was his roommate. He took care of him, even if he sometimes forgot to make meals or to lock the door when he left. It was a cute aspect about him and he liked it a lot. It made him more human, and Tao liked small little flaws like that.

He could hear the sizzling from the kitchen and he sniffed the air. “What’s for dinner?” He shouted playfully.

Yixing threw a steaming hot bun at him. Tao ducked. He knew that Yixing hated it when he pestered him while he was cooking, but he was in such a great mood that he picked the bun up from the floor and nibbled on it.

He pulled himself up from the sofa and padded into the kitchen. It was a mess of ingredients and dirty dishes. Yixing may have been a great cook, but he certainly was not the cleanest one. Tao held the bun in his mouth and poked Yixing in the side so he could grab the dishrag that was handing on the oven door. He tossed it on the counter after inspecting it and began putting away the ingredients. “I don’t know how I put up with your mess, Xingxing.” Tao mumbled around the bun.

Yixing snatched the bun from Tao’s mouth and wagged the spatula in his face. “You better watch it or no dinner for you!” He held a poker face for a few seconds and then cracked a smile.

Tao reached for the bun and tried to snatch it back. He pouted and then went back to putting the food away. Once he had finished the kitchen looked like less of a disaster. He stared at the full sink and sighed. He decided he would do the dishes after they ate.

Yixing set the table and then served the food. There was an assortment of dishes ranging from soup to some type of meat sliced thinly on a plate. Trays of fruit and steamed vegetables encircled the main dish and Yixing had even poured Tao a glass of iced tea.

 He sat down and waited for Tao to take the first bite. His face was eager. “How is it?”

Tao gaped at the table, he did not know what to try first. He settled on the soup and ladled some into a bowl. An explosion of spices erupted in his mouth. Tao slurped another spoonful of the soup. “This is great!”

Yixing beamed. “I tried out a new recipe.”

Tao nodded and continued to stuff his face with the food. Yixing nibbled on his food and mainly watched Tao enjoy the meal. “Are you not hungry?”

“I ate earlier.”

Tao nodded and then his face brightened. “I have good news!” Some food bits flew out of his mouth. He blushed and then swallowed before speaking again. “I met someone tonight!”

“No wonder you’re in such a good mood.” Yixing laughed. “Tell me, who is it?”

Just then Tao’s phone rang. “Hold on, let me get this.” He sprang up from his chair and raced over to his backpack. He pulled out his phone and answered it just before it stopped ringing. “Hey.”

“Uh, hi.” Kris said. He sounded rather shocked that Tao answered the phone. “I was not excepting you to answer.” He paused and then added. “What are you doing right now?”

Tao glanced over at Yixing, who was staring at him, and gestured to his phone and mouthed "It’s him!” Yixing shook his head with a small grin on his face. “Um, I’m eating dinner with my roommate, why? What’s up?”

“Oh, then never mind. I’ll just call you tomorrow.” Kris said suddenly.

“Is it important? I mean, because it’s just dinner and my roommate does not mind.” Tao asked.

“No. I mean, yeah. Wait, I mean no. I – ugh. I’ll call you tomorrow.” Kris sounded somewhat distraught.

“Oh, um, okay. Talk to you tomorrow?” Tao said, feeling dejected.

“Yeah, definitely.” Kris hung up.

Tao walked back over to the table and sat down. “That was rather anticlimactic.”

Yixing frowned. “What happened?”

“He said he’d call me tomorrow because I was eating with you.” Tao frowned and nibbled on another bun.

“He’s just being polite. Don’t think anything of it.” Yixing offered. “Now, if he doesn’t call tomorrow, then maybe you should think about it.”

Tao gave Yixing a blank look. “Gee, thanks.”

“My pleasure!” Yixing grinned.

Tao finished his meal and then helped Yixing clean up. He lay in bed thinking about Kris. There was something about him that intrigued him. Something that he was hiding. Tao rolled over and stared at the bottle of pills on his nightstand. He had forgotten to take them this morning. He thought he felt rather down today. He sighed and closed his eyes and wondered if Kris would actually call him tomorrow.

 

**////**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	3. Pieces of the Puzzle Pt. 2

Luhan opened his eyes and yawned. He sat up in his bed and blinked blearily at his surroundings. He had vague memories of a party last night with Kai, but he could not remember any details. He threw his legs over the side of his bed and pushed himself to his feet and swayed slightly as vertigo hit him. He clutched his stomach and covered his mouth. He felt as if he was going to vomit. He shuffled over to his door and slipped through a crack just large enough for his body and ran to the bathroom.

He eyed the porcelain throne wearily. He hated putting his face near toilets and yet, he’d been doing that exact same thing since he and Kai arrived at the beginning of the semester. They had been invited to party after party and Luhan was just now starting to feel the effects of it all. He fell down on all fours and retched, his back curving upwards as he did so. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and stood up slowly. He flushed the toilet and walked over to the sink and washed his hands. He reached for a bottle of mouthwash and took a swing, swishing it around his mouth, and spat it out.

He looked at his reflection in the mirror and frowned. He shut off the light and left the bathroom. He shuffled into the kitchen and plopped down on the barstool. “What’s for breakfast?” He muttered and rested his head on his arms.

There was no answer.

Luhan lifted his head and looked around. He spotted a note stuck to the microwave. He squinted at it, not wanting to get up, and then sighed as he slid from the stool. "It’s too early for reading.” He grumbled and scratched his head as he squinted at the writing.

**Went to check on Dae. I’ll be back with lunch.**

-          **Minseok**

Luhan groaned and left the note on the counter. He would be fending for himself today it seemed. He dragged his feet back to his room and tugged on some clothes. He ruffled his hair and slapped his cheeks a couple of times to wake himself up. He could not, for the life of him, figure out why he was so tired. He had not been out late with Kai last night. They got back around midnight and it was a little after ten in the morning now. Luhan grabbed his coat off the back of his chair and shrugged it on.

The cool air shocked him awake. Luhan tugged his jacket tighter around himself and buried his hands in his pockets. He spotted someone drinking a steaming hot coffee. Luhan’s eyes widened. That was what he needed. He had not had his morning coffee. He turned back to grab his bag off the ground and then shut the door behind him and locked it. He took the steps two at a time as he rushed to the campus coffee shop before a crowd gathered in there.

The wind whistled past him and whipped his hair back. Luhan narrowed his eyes and then pulled his hood up. It kept his hair from flying in every direction as well as kept his ears warm. He licked his lips subconsciously and soaked in the scenery around him. He liked the outside of the campus. The trees had begun changing colors and there were crunchy leaves littering the sidewalk. Luhan spotted a particularly large leaf and crunched it under his shoe with satisfaction. It was the simple things in life that made him happy.

He arrived at the coffee shop and had to elbow his way to the front counter, as the shop was packed with dozens of other students hiding from the bitter cold air outside. Luhan pouted slightly as he waited for his turn. His stomach growled loudly and gnawed on his lip. He stared at the menu and decided he was going to order a muffin with his coffee.

He hopped a little to see what was holding the line up, but he could not see over the tall blonde haired basketball player in front of him. He looked awfully familiar, but Luhan hardly knew that the school had a basketball team. He tapped him on the shoulder, “Excuse me, but can you tell me what’s taking so long?”

The basketball player glanced at him with a stoic face. “They have a new barista.” He said and turned back to face the front.

Luhan nodded and crossed his arms impatiently. He tapped his foot and then uncrossed his arms. He was restless. He dug through his bag for his phone and looked through the messages. Apparently he and Kai went to a party at a frat house last night, judging from the text Kai sent him before the party. He also seemed to have made a couple of new friends as his inbox was full of messages telling him that they, the sender, had a great time and that they should hook up sometime. He nearly dropped his phone when he came across a picture of himself wearing a ridiculous costume. He looked terrible in pink feather boas and green straggly wigs and giant orange sunglasses. He squinted at the picture and to his horror he discovered that he was, in fact, wearing purple lipstick and a deep red blush. He sent to picture to Kai with a caption beneath it asking him what had happened the night before.

He glanced up and found that the line had moved. He only had to wait for the basketball player, whose name he was not quite sure of, to order and then it would be his turn. He rocked back and forth on his heels and stepped back when the basketball player turned around abruptly, having received his order.

Luhan knew exactly what he wanted. He was completely ready to tell the barista his order until he actually saw who he was. His jaw dropped and his mind went completely blank. He stared at the barista for a few uncomfortable seconds and then he snapped back to reality. “I’ll have a coffee and a muffin.”

“Sugar, cream, size?” The barista gave him a dull eyed look.

“No sugar or cream.” He was momentarily captivated by the way the barista flipped his hair out of his face. “Uh, what was the last one?”

“Size.” He said in a monotone.

Luhan tapped his lip in thought. “Oh, okay, I’ll have a medium.”

The barista punched a few keys on the register. “Flavor of the muffin?”

“Blueberry.” Luhan knew it was rude to stare, but he could not look away. If there was such a thing as love at first sight, he was certain he was experiencing it. He watched as the barista, who’s nametag had _Sehun_ on it, turned and passed the order sheet to the girl behind him who was making all the drinks. Then he continued to stare at him as he went over to the bakery section and pulled out a blueberry muffin and handed it to Luhan.

When their fingers accidentally brushed, Luhan felt electricity pass between them. He looked up at Sehun, wide eyed and blushing. Sehun ripped his hand away suddenly and Luhan frowned slightly. When his coffee was finished, Sehun took extra care not to touch him at all. Luhan pursed his lips momentarily and then grinned brightly. “Have a nice day, Sehun!” He felt his heart flutter when Sehun glanced up at him, shocked.

He flounced out of the coffee shop in high spirits. He nibbled on his muffin and sipped his coffee. Off to his right, there was a couple huddled together as they walked through the grass. Luhan felt a pang of jealousy. He wanted someone to keep him warm in this cold autumn morning. His mind flashed back to the barista and he smiled. He decided that he would pursue him, but first he needed Kai’s opinion.

He had a terrible knack for dating all the wrong people, despite warnings from Kai. This time he would make things work out.

 

** ~*~ **

 

Sehun was usually a pillar of stone. Nothing ever bothered him, nothing ever really fazed him. But, for some reason he kept seeing the blinding smile from that one customer. Sure, he had seen gorgeous people before, but never a person who was cute as he was beautiful. Things like that never happened. People were either supposed to be cute, hot, or beautiful. They were not supposed to be two of those things at the same time. He shook his head and tried to focus on taking orders.

Luckily for him, the crowd had died down and there were only a few people milling about. He drummed his fingers on the counter and stared out the windows. The people outside were bundled up against the frigid air and walked with purpose. He personally liked the cold, as he never affected him that much. He wanted to be out there sitting under a tree studying or reading one of his favorite books.

Sehun was different. He came from a family with old money, so he was rich like the majority of the school, but that was where the similarities stopped. While everyone looked forward to visiting their families for the holidays, he dreaded it. His parents were unlike any human being on the planet. They were stiff and robotic and he hated them.

He knew that most kids went through a stage where they despised everything their parents did during their rebellious teenage years, but for Sehun, the hatred started when he was very young. His parents had a way of sucking the life out of him every moment he saw them. They were impossible to please and he hated the way they breathed down his neck. They were the main reason why he began working at the coffee shop.

He briefly recalled a Skype conversation he had with his parents. His mother had told him that he would never know what working felt like, so to spite her, he got himself a job. Truthfully he did not mind it. He was not too fond of cranky customers, but the work he was doing was not too bad. He still had issues making all the types of coffee just right, so he was stuck on register duty until he learned every recipe perfectly.

He looked forward to being able to make the perfect drink and he liked the shop. It was cozy and quaint. The walls needed to be painted over and most of the chairs did not match, but he liked it nonetheless. It had a certain feel to it that he never experienced before.

Sehun sighed and leaned against the counter, the customers were dwindling quickly. He glanced at the time and began to untie his apron. He had class in fifteen minutes and he needed to get there early if he wanted to get a decent seat in the lecture hall. It was one of his favorite things about college.

Usually the students were not too keen about lectures, but Sehun loved them. He liked listening to people who knew what they were talking about. He liked listening in general as he was not the most articulate person. He had a slight lisp, due to the neglect from his parents during his speech development years. They left him with a nanny, who also had a lisp, while they romped from country to country buying new houses and then selling them when they got bored.

He never really saw much of them, aside from holidays and his birthday. He was fine with that though. The less he saw of them, the better. They expected him to take over the family business and he had no desire. He was not even sure of what his family did to be honest. He just knew that it kept his parents away for the majority of his life, but it was not as if they acted like they wanted him to begin with.

Sehun hung his apron on the hook and waved to his co-worker as he left. He had exactly thirteen minutes to get to the lecture hall. He walked briskly although he enjoyed the bite of the breeze. People hunched their shoulders as they fought the frosty wind, but Sehun simply unzipped his jacket to let more of the cool air hit him.

He arrived just in time to find the last seat in the front row. He unfolded the little mini table attached to the armrest of the seat and places a sheet of paper on top of it. He dugs around for a pencil and scrawled a title on the pages. He snapped his head up and scanned the people sitting nearest to him. He vaguely recognized the student sitting next to him as the college troll and watched as he pulled out a mini laptop and flipped it open.

Sehun’s attention was drawn to the stage as their guest speaker entered the room. He was a world renowned quantum physicist and Sehun squirmed in his seat with excitement. He then looked around to see if anyone noticed and carefully composed his face. The speaker began speaking and Sehun was immediately absorbed.

 

** ~*~ **

 

“I’m telling you, Jongin, I honestly have no idea what I was wearing!” Luhan exclaimed as he linked arms with Kai.

Kai gave him a look. “Dude, you came out of the bathroom like that. I mean, you told everyone to get ready for the show of a lifetime and then you came out like _that_.”

Luhan frowned. “How many shots did I take?”

Kai shrugged. “I don’t know, I lost track after seven.” He shoved Luhan lightly. “Where are you taking me anyways?”

Luhan opened his mouth to defend himself and then smiled. “I’m taking you to see Mr. Perfect!” Kai rolled his eyes and Luhan pouted at him. “I swear, when you see him, you’ll agree.”

“Uh-huh, sure.” Kai shook his head.

Luhan pursed his lip and tugged Kai along with him to the coffee shop. He was not sure if Sehun would be there working, but he hoped he was. He could see from outside that the shop was nearly empty and picked up his pace. “Come on, Jongin!”

Kai dug his feet into the ground playfully. He smirked and his eyes twinkled with mischief. “If I knew you were this excited to show him to me, I would have thought you were setting me up on a blind date.”

Luhan tugged Kai’s arm. “Don’t you dare! I saw him first.”

Kai snickered. “Relax. I kind of have my eye on someone.”

Luhan let go of Kai’s arm. His mouth popped open to form a small circle. “Oh? Who? Tell me!”

Kai shook his head, “I’ll tell you when we get inside.” He grinned. “Show me Mr. Perfect.”

Luhan beamed and led Kai through the door. They sat at a table with perfect view of the barista. Luhan sat with his back to him and gave Kai an expectant look. “Well?”

Kai leaned to the right to get a better view of him.

Luhan hissed. “No! Don’t look at him!”

Kai gave him a dubious look. “How am I supposed to give you my opinion if I can’t look at him?” He shook his head, laughing. “I swear, Luhan, you don’t think sometimes.”

Luhan chewed on his lip. “Fine. But don’t make it so obvious.”

Kai leaned over to his right once more, ignoring Luhan’s request to make it subtle and then nodded in approval. “He’s in my calculus class.”

Luhan gawked at him. “You take calculus?!”

Kai glared at him. “I may look stupid, but I’m good at things when I put my mind to it.”

Luhan giggled. “But, you hate math.”

Kai grinned. “I know.”

Luhan bit his lip and gave Kai another expectant look. “So…what do you think?”

Kai shrugged. “I’ll give him a seven.”

“Only a seven? Are you blind?”

“I’m pretty sure you don’t want me to have the hots for your current crush.”

“No, but he’s a perfect ten don’t you think?”

“You and I have different definitions of ‘tens’, so don’t worry. I can honestly say I approve of him, unlike the others. If my choice doesn’t work out I may just have to steal him.”

Luhan frowned. “You wouldn’t.”

Kai smiled. “Nah, you’re my only friend. It’d be stupid of me to ruin things like that.”

Luhan stared at Kai. The gravity of what he said settled on his shoulders. He knew deep down it was true. Kai may have got along with nearly everyone he came in contact with, but he had a habit of pushing everyone away, except for him. He reached out and patted his hand. “I know, I was just kidding. So, tell me about this perfect ten.”

Kai suddenly became extremely shy. He looked down at his hands and smiled faintly. “He’s in my cooking class.”

A giggle bubbled up within Luhan but he smothered it. Kai hated cooking as much as he hated math. “Go on.” The corners of his lips twitched into a smile.

“I know what you’re thinking. But, no. I did not choose the class. Anyways, he’s in that class…” He trailed off. “He hates me though.”

Luhan furrowed his brow. “I doubt that.”

"It’s true, he completely ignored me until I started talking about dance and even then he never looked at me directly.” Kai sighed. “I’m still going to go after him though. He’s not exactly my type, but I think in about a week’s time, he’ll be eating out of the palm of my hand.”

Luhan shook his head. Kai was a piece of work. “I bet he will. You’re not a bad guy, so I’m sure he’ll see that.”

Kai grinned. “Hey, coffee boy is staring at you. Maybe you should go talk to him.”

Luhan whipped around and then grinned. “I think I’ll do that.”

 

~*~

 

Sehun was wiping down the counter’s when the bright eyed customer returned. Only this time he had the school’s prized possession with him, Kim Jongin, also known as Kai. Sehun felt his heart sink at the sight of them walking in, arms linked, heads thrown back in laughter. He tried to look away but he couldn’t. It was as if they were the sole source of light in a world of darkness.

They sat down at a table that put them in his line of sight. No matter what he did, he would see them, either in front of him, or in the reflection from the mirrors. He sighed and busied himself with cleaning the coffee maker. They were talking loudly and Sehun tried to tune them out. They were talking about him.

His shoulders tensed and he cursed himself. He tried even harder to tune them out and eventually gave up. He leaned against the counter and glared at them. Kai caught his gaze and then leaned in close to the other guy and whispered something in his ear. Sehun felt a pang of jealousy and admonished himself for harboring such feeling towards someone he did not even know. He sighed and turned around.

“Excuse me?”

Sehun spun around. “Yes? How may I help you?” It was the gorgeous customer from earlier. Sehun racked his brain, trying to figure out why he looked so familiar.

“I was wondering when you got off?” The customer batted his lashes. “I’m Luhan, by the way.”

Sehun blinked at him. “Fuck.” He muttered and then covered his mouth. “Sorry, that was rude of me.”

Luhan grinned and shrugged his shoulders. "It’s okay!" he chirped.

Sehun stared at him. There was something about Luhan that seemed strained. He wondered if he was really as happy as he came across. He started wiping the counter again as the silence grew.

Luhan frowned. "Are you just going to ignore me then?"

Sehun glanced up at him. "No."

"So when does your shift end?"

Sehun tossed the rag on the back counter. He pulled his apron off over his head and hooked it on the peg. "Now."

"Really?"

"No."

Luhan frowned again. "If you didn't want to talk to me you could have just said so." he turned on his heel and walked out the door, leaving Kai behind.

Sehun sighed and wiped his hand down his face. He always did this. Anytime there was someone he was remotely interested in, he would act cold towards them.

Kai walked up to the counter and leaned in. "You didn't have to be so rude."

Sehun sighed again.

"I know you like him, so don't be an ass." he glanced over to where Luhan has standing outside. "He’s very quick to love, hurt him and I'll hurt you."

"Whatever." Sehun muttered.

Kai shook his head. "Give him a chance. You won't regret it." he turned and left as well.

Sehun watched him throw his arm around Luhan's shoulders as they walked away. He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Shit."

 

** ~*~ **

 

"He’s an asshole, but he's not bad." Kai said as he plopped himself on Luhan's bed.

"I don't know. He didn't seem interested."

"He is. Trust me."

Luhan looked at him skeptically. "I don't know..."

"When do I ever tell you to go after people? Never, so, listen to me when I say that he likes you. He just doesn't know it yet."

"That does not sound promising at all." Luhan chewed on a hangnail.

Kai shrugged. "If there's one thing I do know, its assholes."

Luhan grinned and then cackled. He slapped his leg and doubled over.

Kai glared at him. "That not what I meant, you prick."

Luhan wiped a tear from his face. "I needed that. Thanks."

"Yeah whatever." Kai pouted.

Luhan jumped on the bed and bounced up and down. "So how do I do this?"

Kai touched his lip in thought. "You need to find out his work schedule so you can show up accidentally on purpose."

Luhan nodded. "I can do that. Then what?"

"I don't know. Talk to him?"

Luhan wrinkled his nose. "I don't think he likes talking that much."

Kai shrugged. "He’ll warm up to you, don't worry."

Luhan laid down next to Kai and closed his eyes. "I hope so. Are you spending the night?"

Kai pushed himself to his elbows. "No, I have something to do."

"Like what?"

"It’s a secret" he wiggled his fingers.

Luhan batted them away. "Fine don't tell me."

Kai smirked. "I'll tell you tomorrow, if it works." he slid off the bed and waved goodbye to Minseok as he entered the dorm. "He’s lovesick again. Good luck."

Minseok groaned. "Great."

 

** //// **

 

 

Chanyeol stretched and twirled his drumsticks. They were set to go on stage in a few minutes. He bounced from foot to foot and jabbed the air a couple of times. He was nervous. This was going to be their first headlining show. His band, Wings of Fire, was a bit of an experimental one. They ranged from rap to borderline metal in each of their songs. They used heavy guitar riffs coupled with sick beats and intense drum solos that Chanyeol freestyled each show. They had a sound similar to another more famous band, Linkin Park, but it was different enough that the comparison was only brought up whenever they called to book a venue.

He could hear the roaring of the crowd from backstage. In the back of his mind he remembered that he had a chemistry lab due soon, but he pushed the thought away. Tonight he was going to lose himself in the music. That’s what playing the drums did to him. His mind would blank as his wrists and arms moved effortlessly, hitting the cymbals at just the right time, snapping the snare precisely while his foot kept the bass going. He had a natural talent for playing. It was something his parents had noticed when he was young and nurtured. He received formal lessons for both the drums and guitar and even dabbled in the violin for a while. To him music was not just music. It was the air he breathed, the water he drank, the life he lived.

However it was not all glitter and glam. There was a dark side to the industry. He was aware of that and strove to stay as far away as he could. His band had resisted the siren calls of hardcore drugs and the other rotten fruits that came with it. They remained clean since their creation and he hoped they stayed that way. Chanyeol had a rather close call a few years ago with pain medication, after he broke his foot, and he knew that he had an addictive personality. He refused to take anything other than over the counter stuff now.

He was lost in thought when his bandmates filed in and clapped him on the back. “You ready for this Channie?”

Chanyeol grinned and twirled his drumsticks once more. “You bet. Man, can you believe that we’re finally headlining?”

Dongmin grinned. “I never thought we’d get this far, so no, I can’t believe it.”

Chanyeol nodded in agreement and followed the lead singer onto the stage. He squinted at the crowd. There had to be at least five hundred people standing out in the glacial air. He felt chills run down his spine and gawked at his bandmates.  They had never seen a crowd this large before.

He felt the adrenaline pump through his veins and he suddenly felt giddy. He bounced on his feet and waved his drumsticks at the crowd. He walked over to the drum set and pressed the pedal to the bass drum a few times to rile up the crowd. They responded by screaming and jumping up and down. Chanyeol grinned and he tapped his drumsticks together three times to count down for their first song: ‘Angel of Light’

Soon his foot was hitting the pedal and keeping the beat while he played the snare drum rapidly with his left hand while his right struck one of the toms. He bobbed his head in time with the beat and let himself drown in the music. He hit the ride cymbal as Dongmin took a break from singing in his raspy gravelly voice to let the crowd scream the chorus.

_Like a whisper I hear you_

_Calling out your name I run to you_

_Angel of light where did you go?_

_Your gentle caress_

_It burned me to the bone._

_Struck down, cast aside_

_I fell for your blackened eyes_

Chanyeol grinned wildly at Dongmin as he sauntered up to the microphone and growled. He was looking directly in the eyes of an auburn haired girl wearing thick eyeliner and dark eyeshadow. She remained rooted in her spot while the crowd thrashed around her. Dongmin smirked at her and the poor girl nearly passed out.

Chanyeol shook his head, an amused smile on his face and closed his eyes and his body prepared for the solo. He felt the world around him melt away. The air buzzed with anticipation and a mosh pit formed at edge of the stage. Kids waved their arms wildly and kicked their legs as they danced sporadically.

He scanned the crowd for the black haired ‘vixen’ that followed the band to every show. The band always joked with him about his fan. The kid always seemed to show up right as he was about to perform the solo. He was gearing up for his solo and his foot rapidly pressed the bass pedal, while he tapped the toms. His eyes suddenly caught sight of the dark haired young man and he grinned. He scanned his body hungrily, drinking in the curves and slopes as he gave him a smoldering look. Chanyeol felt his breath hitch and he glanced at the guitarist, Lin, and she winked at him, he returned his gaze to the boy.

He felt weightless. On cloud nine. His mind was completely clear and the only two people in the world were him and the heavily lined fan. His eyes checked him out. This time he was wearing skintight gray jeans with rips along his defined thighs. His shirt was one of their band t-shirts that he had cut. The letters WOF were hardly recognizable. There were long strips of his pale skin exposed and Chanyeol found himself eyeing a rip that just barely grazed the skin above his nipples. If he moved a certain way, he could almost catch sight of them. He seemed to know this because he purposefully roll his body and then jerk in the other direction before he exposed himself.

Chanyeol made a sweep across the drums and then struck the crash cymbals. He held his drumsticks in the air and the crowd raved and roared. He shared a glance with Dongmin and then slammed down on the toms once more, tapping his foot on the pedal as Dongmin sang into the microphone. Lin slid her fingers up the neck of her guitar, making it scream, and chugged a few chords as the song neared its climatic end.

_Angel of light your wings of fire_

_They blinded me, burned me_

_Angel of light why did you leave?_

_Your retreating figure disappeared over the spires_

_Never looking back_

_Never looking back_

Chanyeol hit the bass drum one last time as the mosh pit in the front of the stage died down. He looked for his fan but could not find him. He frowned slightly and stood up and looked a little more. Lin caught his attention by waving at him, they were starting the next song. At the rate things were going, he would not be working on his pre-lab report tonight.

 

** ~*~ **

 

Baekhyun weaved through the crowd. His head was pounding and his heart was threatening to burst from behind his ribs. He was shoved and jostled but it did not faze him. He was used to the pulsing of the crowd. He was used to the hot bodies bumping into him and jabbing him in his sides. What he was not used to was the splitting headache he had. He only took two hits today so he knew it was not the drugs. No, it was something else.

He felt a warm liquid drip from his nose. When he brought his fingers from his face, there was blood on them. He reached into his pocket for his pass and ran to the bathroom. He turned on the faucet with trembling hands and splashed water on his face. He stared up at his reflection and pinched his cheeks. His face was a little pale and his eyeliner smudged a bit, but other than that he looked okay.

Baekhyun fluffed his hair a bit and then frowned. He had a chemistry lab due tomorrow and it was at least a four hour drive back to his dorm. He clenched his fist and contemplated punching the mirror. He was trembling all over and he was filled with barely contained rage. He hated that his parents were forcing him to be a doctor. Sure he liked science, but did not want to make a career out of it. In fact, he was not even sure what he wanted to do with his life. He just knew that he wanted to be anything but a doctor.

He took a couple of deep breaths and suppressed his anger. He knew bottling it up was not the healthiest thing to do, but he had ways of compensating that. He glanced at his reflection once more and pushed the door open. The security guard eyed him suspiciously and Baekhyun avoided his gaze. He ducked his head and pushed through the crowd. He wanted to see his favorite song: “Angel of Light”. He felt connected to that song somehow. The lyrics spoke to him in ways he never thought was possible and he was extremely fond of the drum solo and the drummer.

He knew he needed to leave, but he did come to see Wings of Fire and not the other bands and he was determined to get his money’ worth. He elbowed his way to the front of the crowd and found himself on the wrong side of the stage. He sighed and pushed through to the other side. He wanted to have perfect view of the drummer, Chanyeol.  He knew it was stupid of him to keep this crush he had on him, but he figured as long as he did not allow him in his life any more than he was, then he’d be safe. A carefully constructed distance would separate them. They came from different worlds after all.

He felt a strange twinge in his heart and it was suddenly hard to breathe. His mind was filled with the screams of his parents as they argued when they thought he could not hear them. Baekhyun grit his teeth and pushed the last few people out of his way violently. He did not want to think about home. Not now, not ever.

He waited for Chanyeol to catch his eye and then he started dancing. He knew it did not quite match the beat he was playing, but that did not matter. He was in his element and he was going to go all out. He closed his eyes and writhed his body, touching his chest sensually. His elegant fingers brushed against his exposed skin. He parted his lips slightly and snapped his eyes open and held Chanyeol’s gaze once more.

There was something about the way he played the drums that just turned Baekhyun into this predatory feline. He tilted his head to the side and then rolled his body to the right. He felt the cool air nip at his skin and jerked to the left. He practiced this particular move in front of the mirror several times and knew exactly how far to go to one side before he exposed himself. He narrowed his eyes seductively at Chanyeol and beckoned him with one finger. He smirked when he saw him lean forward as if he was about to jump off the stage. This was the game he played. A game of cat and mouse, only he was the cat, and Chanyeol was the mouse.

The song ended and Baekhyun sank back into the crowd. He always gave Chanyeol just enough to keep him coming back for more, but tonight’s performance was even more difficult to leave. Baekhyun wished that he could just allow himself to indulge just a little, but he knew he shouldn’t. He waved his pass at the security guard and exited the fenced off area and headed to his car.

He slid inside and cranked up the heat. He only just realized that he was freezing. His fingers felt numb and stiff as he fumbled with the buttons for his radio. He pressed the button to switch it to cd and twisted the nob to turn it up full blast. The sultry rasp of the lead singer’s voice filled his ears. He hummed along to the lyrics and grinned when the rap began. It was one of the things he really liked about Wings of Fire. They effortlessly weaved rap into all of their songs. While Baekhyun was not the biggest fan of rap, he loved hearing Chanyeol’s voice through his speakers, especially in the song titled: ‘Contradictions’

He nodded his head to the music and lip-synced the lyrics.

_I don’t need you, I always will_

_I can’t fall down, I’ve climbed to high_

_I can’t see you, the end is nigh_

_I won’t turn back, it’s not my style_

_I will keep going, won’t face your smile_

He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel in time with the drums and stared at the empty highway ahead of him. He pressed his foot a little harder on the gas pedal and sped down the road. At this rate, he would make it back in time to catch a few hours of rest before his lab.

Flashing blue and red light suddenly appeared behind him. Baekhyun heart jumped into his throat. He pulled over and gripped the steering wheel anxiously. He contemplated speeding off before the officer arrive, but then he tapped on his window. He pressed the button and the window descended. “Yes, officer?” He kept his voice and face perfectly composed.

“You know why you were pulled over right?” He pulled out his ticket pad. “You were going eighty-nine miles per hour and –” The officer stared at Baekhyun and then raised his sunglasses. “Kid, are you alright?”

Baekhyun touched his face. There was blood on his fingertips and his hands were trembling again. He shook his head. “I don’t think so, officer.” He stared at the crimson stain on his fingertips with worry.

The officer frowned and pulled out a rumpled handkerchief from his pocket. He thrust it through the window. “Son, take this and slow down okay? I’ll let you off this time with just a warning.”

Baekhyun held the handkerchief to his nose and nodded. “Yes, sir.” He waited until the officer left before he began driving again. His entire body was trembling. Baekhyun glanced at the time and grimaced. He lost fifteen minutes from being pulled over. He sighed and turned off the radio and drove the rest of the way in a tense silence.

He arrived to his dorm and unlocked the door. He flipped on the light and pulled his shoes off in the entrance. “Sehun?” There was a muffled response from his room. Baekhyun walked over and gently opened the door. “Do you have any painkillers?”

Sehun chuckled. “Why are you asking me? I thought you had a stash of them in your closet.”

Baekhyun rolled his eyes. “I meant like Tylenol or aspirin or something.”

Sehun turned around and raised his eyebrow. “Alright. What did you do this time?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He was beginning to feel light-headed.

“Your nose is gushing blood. It’s getting on your shirt.” Sehun said in a monotone voice as he sifted through his drawer for a clean sock. He dabbed at Baekhyun’s face. “What one did you use?”

Baekhyun’s eye twitched. “You know I don’t use my own stuff. Crazy shit is put in it.”

“And  _crazy shit_  isn’t put in other people’s?” Sehun balled the sock up and threw it in his dirty clothes pile.

Baekhyun’s face was tinged pink right above his lips. “I guess you’re right.”

“I know I’m right. Remember, I used to sell too.” He now had a bottle of Tylenol in his hand and was untwisting the lid.

“Yeah, but you only did it to bother your parents. You never really got into it.” Baekhyun retorted. Somehow he knew Sehun was like him. He just hid it better than he did.

“And it’s not like you’re not doing it for the same reason.” He turned the bottle upside down and put four tablets in Baekhyun’s hand. “Take these. Drink some water, eat something, go take a shower. You smell like a dirty hobo.”

Baekhyun gave Sehun a patronizing look. “Sure thing, mother.”

Sehun rolled his eyes and sat back down at his desk. “Yeah, whatever. You’ll thank me when you wake up with one less ache.”

Baekhyun leaned over his shoulder and peeked at the screen. “What are you doing anyways?”

Sehun closed the window and swiveled in his chair. There was a faint smile on his lips. “I was checking my hours for work tomorrow.”

Baekhyun prodded Sehun. “Why are you smiling? Did you see someone hot? What did they look like? Guy? Girl?”

Sehun pushed Baekhyun out of his room. “Go and do what I told you first. Then you can interrogate me all you want. I’m not telling you anything.” He smirked and shut the door.

Baekhyun pouted and then made his way to the bathroom. His bones were starting to ache. He swallowed the Tylenol capsules without bothering to get water and turned on the shower. He washed his face as he waited for the water to get hot. His hands were still trembling and his knees felt weak. That was the last time he took a hit of someone else’s product. He climbed in the shower and let the scalding water burn his skin. It gave him something to focus on besides the dull ache in the rest of his body.

Twenty minutes later he was sitting crossed legged on Sehun’s bed. “I saw him again tonight.”

“He’s in the band, of course you’ll see him.” Sehun rolled his eyes and a shadowy smile tugged at his lips.

Baekhyun threw a pillow at him. “Shut up.” He grabbed another pillow and chucked it at him, laughing.

“Alright! I surrender! Stop with the pillow bombs!” Sehun held his hands in the air. He was giggling and kicking his legs in the air.

Baekhyun threw one last pillow at him for good measure and flopped backwards on Sehun’s bed. “He’s so amazing, you know that?”

“He’s in your chemistry class.” Sehun paused. “You guys have chemistry!” he burst into laughter. “Get it? Come on, Baekkie! That’s a good one!”

Baekhyun stared at Sehun. “You always have the lamest jokes.” Sehun pouted at him and Baekhyun sighed. “I know, but I don’t think he realizes it’s me.”

"It’s not like you wear a full body costume.” Sehun’s lips quirked.

“I know, but I am at a distance so maybe he wouldn’t recognize me.” Baekhyun bit his lip.

“I think you should just tell him.”

“I can’t. I have –”

Sehun interrupted him. “Yeah, yeah. You have a reputation. Honestly I don’t know why that’s stopping you. I mean you sell drugs for Pete’s sake.”

“That’s different. No one knows I do that other than you and my dealers. I’m only a supplier, not a dealer. Get your facts straight.”

“Sure it is.” Sehun yawned.

“You can’t sleep yet! You haven’t told me about the coffee shop guy!”

Sehun opened one eye. "It’s Luhan.”

Baekhyun’s eyes widened. “As in LU EXPORTS, Luhan?”

“Yeah.”

Baekhyun raised his eyebrow. “Is he even your type?”

“Nope.”

“Do you want him to be?”

Sehun paused just a moment too long. Baekhyun knew that meant yes, but he would humor Sehun for the time being. “Nope.”

“Alright.” Baekhyun got up and headed for the door.

Sehun sat up suddenly. “Wait. You’re not going to pester me anymore about it?”

Baekhyun shook his head, it was no longer throbbing. “Nah, you need your sleep.” He closed Sehun’s door silently and padded to his room. He knew he wasn’t going to sleep well tonight, but he figured he would at least try.

He plopped down in front of his computer and pulled up his pre-lab write-up document. He hated doing lab write-ups and this one was not any different. He launched his internet browser and began searching for the background knowledge he need for tomorrow. It was a tedious task, one that nearly drove him to tears as he continued to yawn over and over again.

Around three in the morning he began typing the write-up. He had spent four hours finding all the information he needed and the summary flew from his fingers and onto the screen. The actual typing of the write-up usually never took too long. It was the research that sapped most of his time.

He heard a bang from Sehun’s room and rolled his eyes. He must have rolled out of his bed again. Baekhyun got up from his seat and shook out the kinks in his legs. He arched his back slightly and went to check on him.

“Are you alright?” Baekhyun peeked through the door and found Sehun on the floor, completely passed out with half of his blanket covering him. He tiptoed in and pulled the rest of the blanket over him. He grabbed a pillow and lifted Sehun’s head and placed it under him. The boy snored loudly but did not wake up.

Baekhyun frowned slightly, wondering how Sehun was still asleep and then spotted the sleeping medication on the floor between his bed and the nightstand. He knelt down and picked up the bottle and put it in the drawer. He knew Sehun was an insomniac, but he was unaware of him being prescribed medication for it. He glanced at him once more and left.

The document was still open on his laptop. Baekhyun sighed and quickly finished it. It was nearly five in the morning and he had class at nine. He gratefully threw himself on his bed and shimmied under the covers. He closed his eyes and waited for sleep to fall over him.

 

** ~*~ **

 

Chanyeol stumbled into his room. Everything swam before his eyes and his legs were not responding the way they should have. He crashed onto the nearest chair and his head lolled back. He rubbed his eye. “Kyungsoo?”

Kyungsoo appeared at the door in his pajamas and sighed. “You need to stop this, Chanyeol. It’s not good for your liver.”

“Mmmfffffggg.” Chanyeol tried to tell him to leave him alone, but found himself being pulled to his feet. He leaned heavily on Kyungsoo and let him lead him to his bed. He flopped forward and buried his face in the cool pillows. They felt so good against his warm face. He kicked off his shoes and curled up on his side. He was not feeling too well.

Kyungsoo returned with a glass of water and two Advils. “Take these. It’ll make your hangover less painful tomorrow.”

Chanyeol reached for the glass and popped the pills in his mouth. He swallowed them with a deep gulp of water and then finished the glass. He was terribly thirsty. He waved the glass in the air and moaned. “Thirsty.”

Kyungsoo sighed and went to get him more water. Chanyeol rolled on his back and pressed his fingers against his temples. He knew he had one too many drinks, but he was celebrating their first headlining concert. That was okay, right?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And this concludes the first chapter!! Chapter two will be up sometime this weekend, maybe. I hope you all enjoyed it and don't forget to comment! I love talking to all of you and respond quickly! ^^~


	4. The Little Thing's Give You Away

The next day, Tao woke up feeling down. His body ached and he did not want to leave his bed. He draped his hand over his face and closed his eyes. He had a fitful sleep last night and could feel the bags under his eyes. He rolled onto his side and stared at his open door. He could see Yixing cooking breakfast and as much as he wanted to get up to greet him, he did not have the motivation to so much as move a finger.

He stared at him as he ran from counter to counter, tossing various ingredients into a giant pot. It was actually a comical scene, but Tao could not bring himself to smile. His gaze flicked over to the bottle of medication and he stared at it. He read the label numbly and heaved a loud sigh. Yixing must have heard because he entered his room a few seconds later.

“What’s wrong?”

Tao stared through him, feeling empty.

Yixing glanced over at his nightstand and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Did you forget to take your medication again? You know that’s my job, forgetting that is.”

Tao pursed his lips and remained silent. The ache in his body seemed to throb.

Yixing grabbed the bottle and twisted the cap open. He tapped it against his hand until a small blue pill landed in his hand. He turned over Tao’s hand and placed it in the middle of his palm. “Take it, you’ll feel better.”

Tao moved his hand robotically to his mouth and swallowed the pill without any effort. He closed his eyes and let his hand fall from his mouth.

Yixing frowned. “Come on, let’s get some food in you.” He tugged Tao to his feet and led him to the table. “You have to remember to take your medication okay?”

Tao nodded his head dully. He opened his mouth to respond and then shut it. He did not know what to say. He sat with his hands folded in his lap and stared dazedly at the bare placemat in front of him.

Yixing went back to the kitchen and continued cooking. He was worried about Tao. He hated it when he forgot to take his medication because he became a shell. He knew the kid did not have the easiest of lives. In fact his life before college was incredibly hard. He came from an extremely poor town and was suffering a severe sickness when he first arrived a year ago. At that time, his parents could not help him because they were unable to pay even the copay at the doctor’s office, so Tao suffered for the majority of his life.

It was only when he received that break, in a form of a scholarship that his life began to take a much more pleasant turn, for a while at least. His sickness had gone into remission and it was not likely to flare up so long as he took all of his medications. Then, less than five months ago, he appeared outside of their dorm, trembling all over, drenched from the downpour outside.

_His eyes were wild and he was extremely jittery. Yixing remembered asking him what was wrong, but Tao could not speak. He handed him the phone that Yixing bought for him and sank to the floor into a fetal position._

_Yixing remembered the icy chill that ran down his spine as he listened to the screams coming from the voice message._

_“Why are you doing this?” His mother sobbed._

_There was static for a few seconds and then a blood curdling scream. “No! No no no! Don’t kill me!”_

_There was the sound of a skull cracking and then a thud. More static and then someone picked up the phone. “Thought you could leave us didn’t you? Well, now your family’s lives are ours.”_

_Click._

_Yixing remembered dropping the phone on the floor, shattering the screen, and scooping Tao into his arms, rocking him and rubbing circles into his back. "It’s going to be alright, Tao. Everything will be alright.” The only thing Tao said, chilled him to the bone._

_"It’s my fault.” It was barely audible._

Yixing shook his head and came back to reality as the door opened and Junmyeon walked through it a bright smile on his face that faded once he saw Tao. He sat down next to him and opened the bag that he had with him. He pulled out a small necklace and held it up for him to see. It was his name bejeweled on rose gold.

Tao smiled weakly and reached for it, but Junmyeon snatched it away. “Not until I see a real smile, okay?” Tao chuckled softly and flashed him a cheery smile. Junmyeon grinned. “That’s better.”  He stood and clasped it around his neck. "It looks great! I knew it would!” He ruffled his hair and walked over to the kitchen to give Yixing a peck on the cheek.

Tao touched the cold metal and glanced down at it. It was quite pretty and his name glittered brightly. He always liked receiving gifts from Junmyeon, they were always spontaneous and yet at the right time. The last gift he received from Junmyeon was his Gucci bag and he took that with him everywhere he went. He never really cared much for brand names, but it was a gift for his birthday and he cherished it. He just wished his parents could have seen him now.

He bit his lip and watched as Yixing placed a dish in front of him. He nodded in thanks and took a bite. “This is good.”

Junmyeon grinned around his mouthful and expressed the same sentiment. Yixing wrinkled his nose at them and then sat down for a taste. He looked up, thoughtful, and then smiled, a dimple appearing on his cheek. “I really outdid myself.”

They ate in a comfortable silence, the sounds of them eating the only thing that disturbed the otherwise welcomed hush. They shared glances every now and then, but Tao began to grow uncomfortable after too many prolonged gazes between Yixing and Junmyeon.

Tao pushed his seat back and stood up. “I should be going. I have class.”

Yixing glanced up at him, “Don’t worry about the kitchen, I’ll make Junmyeon take care of it.”

“Hey!” Junmyeon started to get up.

Yixing swatted him. "It’ll be worthwhile.” He dropped his voice several octaves.

Tao feigned gagging and ran off to grab his bag. When he returned, Yixing and Junmyeon were deep in each other’s mouths. “You two disgust me.” He exclaimed.

Yixing pulled away slowly. “You’ll understand when you’re in a relationship.”

Junmyeon nodded and touched Yixing’s chin lightly, causing him to blush.

“Blegh.” Tao feigned gagging again and left quickly. He was not about to add to his three-time-scarring. He shuddered as he remembered walking in on them the third time. He avoided sitting on the sofa for three weeks.

All the art majors had an uncanny way of knowing each other. The college, much like all other schools, had its cliques. It was something Tao noticed the first time he stepped foot on the campus almost a year ago and it had remained the same. He scanned the courtyard for a familiar face, his own only brightening once he caught sight of them. He waved cheerily, his medications fully in effect now, and jogged over to where they were huddled in the crisp autumn wind.

He dropped his bag on the grass and plopped down next to one of his close friends, Luhan, and nudged him. "What's up?"

Luhan grinned and Tao immediately regretted asking him. He knew Luhan was about to go into one of his long winded stories. He kept his smile plastered to his face and nodded as Luhan began.

"I saw the most beautiful creature yesterday! He works at the cafe and his name is Sehun! Oh God, I wish you could have seen him! He is beautiful! I showed him to Jongin-"

"Jongin?" Tao was vaguely aware of the fact that Kai had another name, but since the majority of the school addressed him by Kai, hearing his actual name threw him off.

"Kai, sorry.” Luhan shook his head to gather his thoughts. “ Anyways, I showed him to him and even he agreed that he was pretty good looking! The only thing is that I don't think he likes me and I really want him to and Jong- I mean Kai, said that he was only being an asshole because he likes me and Jong-  Kai, said that he knows assholes and-"

Tao snickered. "It takes one to know one right?"

"He's not-" Luhan began but Tao raised his hand to stop him.

"Let's not get into this topic," Tao laughed and then said, "Go on with your story."

“Anyways, so I asked Kai for advice and he thinks I should find out his schedule so I can _accidently_ happen to be there when he’s working. So, what do you think?” Luhan bit his lip expectantly, his eyes sparkling with determination.

Tao tapped his chin in thought. It seemed like a good plan, but then again, Tao had very little experience in the field of love and relationships, so he was not the best to ask for advice. He sucked in his breath through his teeth and tentatively said, "It might work…”

“What do you mean, _might_?” Luhan was wringing his hands.

“Well,” Tao began, “What if he thinks you’re being creepy? I think you should at least make it look like you have a reason to be in the café. Maybe you should set up a study date there with someone or something?”

Luhan clapped his hands together. “That’s it!” He hugged Tao tightly. “Thank you so much!” He sprang to his feet and ran off.

Tao shook his head and scooted closer to the circle of art majors and listened in on their conversation. He did not have much to add and was content with simply observing.

 

~*~

 

Kris woke up with a massive hangover from the night before. He squinted his eyes as he looked around his room for the source of the bright light that was shining on his face. He rolled out of bed and shut the curtains and then crawled back under the sheets for a few more minutes of sleep.

Three hours later he was woken up by his roommate cackling as he entered the room. “Yo! Kris get your lazy ass up! We have class in a few minutes.”

Kris tucked his head under his pillow. “Go away!”

His roommate yanked the blankets off of him. “Get. Up.”

Kris pulled his legs up to his chest and put his other pillow over himself. “No!”

“Why are you such a hassle to wake up?” His roommate ripped the pillows from Kris’s grasp. “Dude, get up, or you’ll be late.”

Kris groaned and sat up, pressing his palms to his temples. “Ugh. I wanna die.”

His roommate left and came back with some painkillers and a glass of water. “Here, you wuss. Now get dressed, we have one minute!”

Kris placed the pills on his tongue and took a swig of water. He sat on his bed staring blankly at the wall while he waited for himself to wake up. He slowly got up and found a nice button down shirt and black slacks. He put those on and met his roommate outside.

“I don’t know how you do it.” His roommate shook his head as they took the stairs two at a time. “You look like absolute shit one moment and then you leave the room looking like a model. Are you sure you don’t want to model? My parents know some people.”

Kris rolled his eyes. “I am not falling for that again.” He shuddered as the thought of nude modeling surfaced. “That was single handedly the most awkward thing you ever got me to do.”

His roommate laughed and clapped him on the back. “I didn’t think they’d make you strip! I thought they were legit!”

“Yeah right.” Kris punched his arm.

“No, but seriously, dude to dude, you are ridiculously good looking.” His roommate paused. “Not that I have a thing for you. I mean I like girls, not that there’s anything wrong with not, I mean, I’m going to shut up now.”

Kris laughed and shook his head. “I’ll think about it.”

His roommate’s eyes lit up. “Seriously? My parents are going to be so happy! You’d make an amazing model for sure! They’re always looking for new faces and you have that face!”

Kris rolled his eyes again. “Sure.”

They arrived at the building where their literature class was held. It was a grand building made of red brick with high arched windows and spires that were so high in the air one would think that they never ended. Kris grabbed the door. “After you.”

His roommate smirked as a flock of giggling girls walked through giving him shy looks.

Kris shrugged his shoulders. “What?”

“Nothing, man, nothing at all.” He chuckled.

Class was boring, but Kris forced his eyes to stay open by drawing little squiggles in the margins of his textbook. He did not have a single artistic bone in his body so his drawings were laughably subpar to the majority of the school’s ability. In fact, there were many three year olds that could draw better than him, but that did not stop him from doodling a rather unrecognizable shape that was supposed to be some type of rabbit, while the teacher droned on about them having to write a ten paged essay on the usage of personification in a novel of their choice.

Kris sighed and closed his textbook a little harder than he meant to, causing the teacher to glance up at him annoyed. “If you do not want to be here, _Wu Fan_ , then kindly leave the room.”

Kris rolled his eyes. His literature teacher hated him simply because of the fact that he ended up keeping her son from making the team. It was a well-known fact by nearly everyone who had her as a teacher that she could not stand his guts. It was too bad that Kris did exceptionally well in her class despite the fact she docked him several points for every assignment he turned in simply because he was who he was.

He stood and shoved his text book in his bag. “You know what? I think I will leave. I’ll have that paper to you tomorrow.”

The rest of the class gawked at him as he opened the door and walked out. He could hear someone squeak out, “But the paper isn’t even due until the end of the term!”

Kris sighed as he pushed open the heavy doors of the literature building. He had had enough of his teacher’s malformed opinion of him. He spotted Tao sitting by a tree, alone, sketching something in a sketchbook, wearing black framed glasses.

He battled himself over whether or not he should approach him when Tao looked up at him and waved him over. He bit back the grin threatening to blossom over his face and walked over to him.

“You look very nice today! Is there an occasion?” Tao asked as he glanced up at Kris, a small smile on his face.

Kris looked down at his outfit and frowned slightly. “Nope. I usually dress like this. It’s a nice change from my basketball uniform.”

Tao stared at him thoughtfully and then smiled to himself. Kris stood awkwardly, watching him, unsure what to do. Tao continued to stare at his sketchpad as he patted the grass next to him for Kris to sit down.

Kris hesitated and then kneeled down next to Tao. He glanced at the sketchpad and gasped. Tao was drawing the literature building with exceptional detail. “Wow, that’s amazing!” Kris could feel his heart rate speeding up as Tao turned to look at him with a quizzical expression on his face.

“This?” he pointed to the sketchpad. “This is nothing, I’m just doodling.”

“Doodling?” Kris stared at the building and then back at the drawing. “That looks real! What are you talking about doodling?”

Tao laughed. "It’s just a doodle, trust me. I usually draw things like this,” He flipped through the sketchbook and Kris let out a low whistle. Inside were the most realistic looking drawings of people he had ever seen. Every strand of hair, every wrinkle, every pore, was drawn so beautifully and perfectly that he almost thought they were photographs.

“There is no way you drew that.” Kris fingered the corner of the page gingerly as he turned to the next drawing. His breath caught in his throat. On the paper was a drawing of Yixing, smiling brightly, wearing an apron while he cooked in the kitchen.

Kris suddenly looked away and bit his lip. When he glanced back at Tao, he was eyeing him strangely. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, just got something in my eye.” Kris lied.

Tao shut the sketchbook and clasped his hands on top of it. “So about that call last night?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know I was interrupting you.”

Tao shook his head. "It’s fine, but you were being a little weird.”

Kris bit his lip. He liked the way Tao’s lips curled slightly at the corners. He wondered if they were as soft as they looked. He closed his eyes and pushed the thought out of his head. “Sorry, I was a little nervous that’s all.”

Tao’s expression changed to one of shock. “I make you nervous?!”

Kris lied again. “What? No! I meant my nerves were acting up. You know, winning the game and all was quite a rush and everything.”

Tao’s face fell slightly and then he forced a smile. “Oh, good. Because I was going to say...” He trailed off as a leaf fluttered down from the tree and landed on his head.

Kris leaned in to pluck the leaf off and his breath hitched. He was closer to Tao than he thought he would ever get and his hand froze in the air above the leaf. Tao stared up at him, paralyzed as well, waiting for Kris to move. He blinked slowly and wet his lips. Kris swallowed and brushed the leaf off of Tao’s head, leaning back suddenly.

“I need to go.” He said at the same time Tao said, “Do you want to get lunch?”

Kris held Tao’s gaze for a few tense moments before he broke away. “Um, how about dinner? I have practice in about an hour.”

Tao nodded and smiled, “Dinner is fine. See you then!” He stood up, rearranged his glasses and gathered his supplies in his arms as he bounded off in the direction of the art major’s dorm.

 

~*~

 

Tao arrived several minutes earlier than they were supposed to meet. He found a table and played with the scarf Yixing made him wear. It had little tassels on the end that he liked to tie into tiny knots.

A waiter walked up to him and asked if he was ready to order, but Tao shook his head no and informed the waiter he was waiting for someone and simply ordered an iced tea. He glanced down at his phone for the time and when he looked up he saw Kris briskly walking to the door.

Tao’s eyes widened and he quickly unraveled the knots he tied in the scarf. Kris looked absolutely amazing. He was wearing a simple button down collared shirt, with small vertical ridges that fanned out from the button line, and dark blue dress pants with a brown belt and matching shoes. His hair was casually styled in that just-got-out-of-bed look and he also had on a brown leather bracelet on his wrist.

He slid into his seat and laced his fingers. “Sorry for keeping you waiting. I had to shower after practice.”

Tao smiled shyly. “No, it’s okay. I got here early.” He could feel his heart thumping in his chest and silently feared Kris could hear it.

“So…” Kris drawled.

“So?” Tao asked feeling slightly stupid in his outfit as he gave Kris another once over.

“You look nice.” Kris nodded towards Tao.

Tao felt his cheeks flush. “Really? I feel sort of underdressed next to you.”

Kris smiled and Tao felt chills run down his spine. He had a really nice smile. Kris shook his head. “You look really great, honestly. I’m probably overdressed.”

Tao bit his lip. “Thank you.” He glanced up as a saxophone instrumental began playing in the background.

Kris followed his gaze and then said, “I’ve always liked the way the saxophone sounds.”

Tao grinned. “Me too. It has a certain…sweet, longing feel to it?”

Kris nodded. “Yeah, it’s really smooth sounding.”

They fell into an awkward silence.

“Um, so what brought you to this school? It is an international art school you know.” Tao mentally slapped himself for sounding indignant.

Kris grinned. “You know I asked myself that everyday. But, truthfully, I came here because I was in a relationship at the time.”

“Oh? Are you still…” Tao trailed off hoping the answer would be something he wanted to hear.

Kris’s smile faltered. “No.”

“If you don’t want to talk about it that’s fine.” Tao offered. He could sense that Kris was uncomfortable talking about the relationship for whatever reason and did not want to press him. After all, they only just met and he wanted to be friends with him first.

“That’d be nice.” Kris nodded.

“So what got you into basketball?” Tao asked, steering the conversation to another much safer topic.

With that, Kris opened up entirely. He told Tao about how he started playing as a child and his parents had noticed that he had quite a knack for it. However, they did not encourage his pursuit of the sport and wanted him to do something much more intellectual with his time. They did change their minds once he got to high school and started receiving scholarships to all the top schools in the world. They were quite shocked to find out that he would be attending the college he does now for the exact reason why Tao was curious, but Kris explained to them that even though he was not artistic like his parents, he wanted to improve his skill.

Tao listened as he spoke with a smile on his face. Whenever he spoke about basketball his face took on a new light and Tao could definitely see that he was passionate about it. That made him smile even more because he liked seeing that look on his face and decided that he would do whatever it took to help him keep that look. He was not sure if Kris was aware of the fact that when he thought no one was looking, he had perhaps the saddest expression ever, as if he was constantly in pain over something or hiding something dark. Tao knew everyone had skeletons in their closet and that Kris was no exception, he just hoped that whatever it was, it was nothing too dangerous.

They finished dinner and remained in their seats until closing time, talking, mainly on Kris’s side, and listening, mainly on Tao’s side. Tao didn’t mind. He enjoyed hearing Kris talk about any and everything and clearly he needed someone to vent to about his teammates, or his teachers, or even his family. Within a three hour span, Tao had learned more about Kris than he had ever learned about anyone in a week.

He glanced up at him after he had been silent for a while. “You’re awfully quiet all of a sudden.”

Kris smiled. “I was thinking.”

“About what?”

“How easy it is to speak to you. I have never met anyone like that before.”

Tao felt his heart swell. He bit his lip shyly and played with the scarf around his neck. “Really?”

“Yeah,” Kris paused, he pushed his hands into his pockets. “You’re a great listener.”

Tao nodded. He could see that some of the weight on Kris’s shoulders had been lifted and his posture was a little less stiff.

They were walking near the bridge and Tao stopped suddenly, clutching Kris’s arm. “Can we not go this way?”

Kris looked down at him with a confused look. “Um, okay?”

Tao let out a shaky breath and slowly unlatched himself from Kris’s arm. That bridge had a history. He screwed his eyes shut and took a deep breath to calm his racing heart. He did not want to think about what had happened here, what _almost_ happened here. He corrected himself in his head. He opened his eyes to see Kris staring down at him concerned. He nodded to himself again and whispered. “I’m okay.”

“Are you sure? You look a little pale.”

Tao swayed on his feet and stumbled forward. He felt like he was going to throw up.

Kris caught him by the arm and held him against him. “Hey, it’s alright to be afraid of heights. Don’t worry I got you.”

Tao held back a chuckle. At least Kris thought it was only a fear of heights and not something else. “Thank you.” His voice was slightly muffled against Kris’s chest. He breathed in his scent and was immediately calmed. Kris smelled of a mixture of some type of spice and cologne. Tao took another deep breath and then righted himself. “I’m fine now, thank you.”

Kris stared at him for a few seconds and then asked. “Are you sure? I can help you walk or something?”

Tao smiled nervously. “No, I’m good, really.”

“If you say so.” Kris said as he bumped into Tao, causing him to stumble once more. “See? You’re not okay. I’m going to have to carry you now.”

Tao’s eyes bugged and he protested, weakly, and crawled onto his back, resting his head on his shoulders. He felt his eyes closing as he relaxed against Kris’s back, the rhythm of him walking, lulling him to sleep.

“So we talked about me all night, how about I hear something about you?”

Tao heard him faintly as he drifted off even more. He mumbled something and Kris chuckled.

“I guess we’ll have to wait until next time.”

The last thing Tao remembered was catching a glimpse of the blackened water as they walked back to the school.

 

////

 

‘ _Oh god, there he is!’_ Baekhyun thought as he stuttered to a stop at the entrance of his chemistry class. He glanced at his professor and dropped off his pre-lab write-up in the drop box and walked over to his lab partner, Jongdae, who was slumped on the desk drooling. Baekhyun wrinkled his nose and poked him. He did not move. He frowned slightly and sat down, carefully avoiding the pool of drool near his elbow.

He tried to nonchalantly look over in Chanyeol’s direction, but he nearly fell out of his seat when he caught him staring back. Baekhyun whipped his head forward and forced himself to stare at the professor. _‘Why was he looking at me? Is there something on my face?’_ Baekhyun touched his face, his fingers came back with black smudges. He panicked and rubbed vigorously at his eyes, erasing all evidence of last night’s concert.

He glanced back at Chanyeol and held his gaze for a few seconds before looking away quickly once more. _‘God, he is so perfect!’_ He thought as he clenched his hands into fists, forcing himself to face the front once more. He groaned internally, he could not figure out how he was going to focus in class with the guy of his dreams sitting two lab tables away, looking incredibly attractive in a pair of nice fitting jeans and a gray t-shirt.

The professor stood up from his desk, having finished going through the pre-lab write-ups, and walked to the front of the classroom. “Good work turning in your lab write-ups. Almost everyone turned one in.” He glared at Chanyeol and Baekhyun repressed the urge to look back at him. “Today, as all but _one_ of you know, we will be doing a Thin Layer Chromatography. Please open the procedure books and turn to page forty-three and begin. You have until the end of the block to finish. Those who do not finish will stay behind until they do so.” The professor returned to his desk and pulled out an e-reader.

Baekhyun began to panic. He nudged Jongdae awake. “Get up. If I fail this, I will have your head as a mantelpiece.”

Jongdae blinked at him groggily. “What are we even doing?”

“Thin Layer Chromatography. I take it you turned in the lab write-up?”

Jongdae smiled. “I’ve already done the lab.” He reached into his backpack and pulled out his data. “Here, turn this in.”

Baekhyun stared at him in disbelief. “How?”

Jongdae was already asleep again.

Baekhyun looked through his data and nodded. He walked over to the professor’s desk and put it in the drop box.

“Done already?” The professor spared him a single glance before returning to his e-reader.

“My partner already did the lab.”

“Oh. Get a new one.” He shooed him away.

Baekhyun turned and scanned the classroom. Everyone already had a partner. “Sir, everyone has one.”

The professor looked up at him, annoyed. “Go work with Chanyeol. The kid could use the GPA boost.”

Baekhyun’s heart nearly burst through his ribs. “I can’t. He has a partner.”

“You!” He pointed to Chanyeol’s partner. “Go work with Mr. Kim over there.”

Baekhyun watched as Chanyeol’s, now ex-partner, scrambled to gather his things and set up next to Jongdae. He turned back to the professor who sighed loudly. “Are you still here?”

Baekhyun swallowed nervously. “But, sir, I don’t understand.”

The professor placed his e-reader gently on his desk and flipped the cover of the case over it. “Look, aside from Mr. Kim, you have the highest GPA in this class. Clearly Mr. Kim is busy napping in my class once again, and Chanyeol’s previous partner prefers to work alone anyways.”

“But-”

“Mr. Byun, if I have to tell you again to go work with him, I will fail you for the semester. Now, stop bothering me, I have business to attend to.” He picked up the e-reader and leaned back in his plush chair.

Baekhyun chewed on his lip and walked over to Chanyeol's lab table. He stared at his feet and muttered. “I’m your new partner.”

Chanyeol was staring at his previous partner, Junmyeon with confusion. “Why?”

Goosebumps erupted all over Baekhyun's skin. Chanyeol’s voice was even deeper in person. He glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. “Because the professor said so.” He began setting up the beakers, carefully making sure he did not accidentally brush his arm against Chanyeol’s. “Now, let’s get to business.”

Chanyeol bent at the waist and put his face near Baekhyun’s. “You look familiar.”

Baekhyun stumbled back a few steps, his heart racing, his palms sweating, and his stomach threatening to explode from all the butterflies. “I – I don’t – what are you – how?”

Chanyeol leaned back up and smiled. “Don’t worry about it.” He busied himself with the lab procedure and then went over to grab a pair of goggles for himself and Baekhyun.

Baekhyun gaped at him. _‘This can’t be happening! What am I in? Some type of movie?’_ He thought to himself as he squinted at the procedure. He could hear his heart beating loudly in his ears and his face felt incredibly warm.

Chanyeol returned with two pairs of goggles and handed one to Baekhyun. Their fingers brushed momentarily and Baekhyun yanked his hand back causing the goggles to clatter to the floor. Chanyeol bent to pick them up. “Sorry about that. Sometimes I drop things.” He smiled brightly at Baekhyun, who blanched.

He took the goggles from Chanyeol, carefully avoiding his fingers and tugged them on. At least he could not see him in his peripheral vision since the green tinted goggles were hazy on the sides. He reached over to grab the procedure and accidently grabbed Chanyeol’s hand. His face felt as though it was on fire. “Sorry.”

Chanyeol laughed, a deep rumbling sound, and handed Baekhyun the procedure. “I already read it, so it’s all yours.”

Baekhyun frowned slightly but glanced at the paperback workbook and set up the solutions and beakers accordingly.

They worked in a tense silence, mainly on Baekhyun’s part, and finished the experiment with minutes to spare. Baekhyun pulled off the goggles and wrote down his final statements for the conclusion and passed the paper to Chanyeol. He returned both of their goggles to the sanitation cabinet.

When he got back to the table he grabbed the data and turned it in to the professor, who glanced up at him. “You’re done?”

“Yes.”

“How?”

“Chanyeol is actually pretty smart.”

“I know that.” The professor rolled his eyes.

“Then why did you say he needed help?”

“I only said his GPA needed help. If he worked with you, I knew it would get turned in, being that you’re pretty anal about your grade.” The professor had gone back to reading.

Baekhyun stared at him and then turned on his heel. He grabbed his backpack and left before the block was over, leaving Chanyeol staring after him.

“Wait!”

Baekhyun froze. “What?”

“Wings of Fire?”

Baekhyun nearly choked. He composed his face and swiveled slowly. “What’s that?”

Chanyeol scrunched up his face in confusion and then looked down at the floor. “Never mind.”

Baekhyun kept walking. He could not let himself be associated with Chanyeol. If word got back to his parents, and it would, they would never forgive him.

 

~*~

 

Chanyeol sighed as he watched Baekhyun’s retreating figure. He was almost certain that he was the fan from last night. He had the same build, not too tall, thin but with nice thick thighs, milky skin, and dark hair. Even his fingers looked just as delicate as the fan’s from last night. But, then again, he was at a concert in the evening. The lighting could have affected the way he looked, that and there was a bit of a distance between them.

He sighed again and went back to the classroom to grab his stuff. He was about to leave when the professor stopped him. “I need to speak with you.”

“Yes?” Chanyeol said as he stepped up to the professor’s desk.

“You are on the brink of failing this class, Mr. Park.”

“I know.” He stared at his feet.

“Look, this band of yours should not come before your academics. I understand that you had your taste of fame last night, trust me, my daughter is a huge fan, and I never hear the end of her prattling. But,” he paused dramatically. “You need to bring up your GPA or you’re in danger of being kicked out for good.”

Chanyeol nodded his head. “I know. What can I do to bring it up?”

“Start turning in assignments.” The professor looked up at him over his glasses.

“Okay.” Chanyeol shrank back under his gaze. He hated being looked at like that. It made him feel small. He left the room without another word. He sulked and walked to rehearsal without his usual vigor.

He pushed open the door to Dongmin’s dorm and jumped back as a glass came hurtling towards his head. “Dude, what the hell?”

Dongmin threw another one at the wall. “Fuck!”

Lin was sitting on the sofa tuning her guitar, humming a melody and ignoring Dongmin’s rage.

Chanyeol ducked another glass and ran over to pin Dongmin’s arms behind his back. “Calm down.”

“How can I be calm? My ex just called and told me she’s pregnant!” He screamed and tore himself from Chanyeol’s grip. “I’m not ready to be a father! I have a future!”

Chanyeol pinched the bridge of his nose. “How do you know it’s yours?”

“I don’t! All I know is that it’s between me and two other bastards!” His chest was heaving as he searched for something else to shatter.

Chanyeol put his hands up in surrender. “Listen, calm down. Focus your rage into a song or something. We do have another concert in two days and we haven’t come out with anything new in a while.”

Dongmin glared at him.

“Seriously, put all that rage into a song. Besides, you don’t know if it’s yours yet.” Chanyeol offered.

“I guess you're right.” He deflated for a second and then ran to his bedroom to grab his lyric book. He began scribbling furiously. “What do you think about ‘ _Torn apart, ripped open, sliced in half, that’s how I see you.’_? Is that too much?”

Chanyeol scratched his head. “Um, I think so. It’s a little graphic.”

Lin chuckled. “Not any more graphic than ‘ _Corpse’_ , I mean I know we don’t sing about dark things like that anymore, but still.”

Chanyeol frowned. “I don’t know. I feel like that might alienate our audience.”

Dongmin stared at him. “I think everyone needs a rage song every now and then.”

“Fine. Do whatever.” Chanyeol threw his arms up in the air in exasperation. “I’m going to the basement to practice.”

Dongmin and Lin nodded their heads at him and began conferring over lyrics. “We should call it _Sweet Poison_.”

Chanyeol glanced at them once more and then headed towards the basement. Once he reached the basement he sat down at his practice set and tapped the crash cymbal thoughtfully. He was feeling somewhat stressed because he knew he had to work on his assignments, but seeing as WOF had a concert in two days, he really wanted to come up with some new material.

He twirled his drumsticks between his fingers absentmindedly as he thought of the Baekhyun kid from his Chemistry class. He could have sworn that he was the fan from the concerts. He looked exactly like him. That, and he did have a smudge of black near his eyes, but then again, it could have been anything. Plus, Chanyeol had a way of attracting fans from all shapes and sizes. There would always be a new one each week that would come up to him during signings, telling him that they used to be a fan of Lin or Dongmin and now they were a fan of him. It was something that deeply bothered Dongmin from the very beginning, but it was not like Chanyeol could do anything about it. He was like a magnet to people.

Chanyeol sighed and pursed his lips. He wanted to get to the bottom of this new fan. Well, he was not really new as he had been following them from show to show since the beginning, but for the past month, he had especially caught Chanyeol’s eye. He stood up suddenly and ran back up the stairs.

“Guys! I think I know who my fan is!”

Lin and Dongmin glanced up at him from the lyric book. “Who?”

Chanyeol bit sat down hard on the sofa, jostling both of them. “I think it’s that Baekhyun kid from my chemistry class.”

Lin’s eyes bugged out. “Byun Baekhyun?”

At the same time, Dongmin burst into laughter. “No. Not him. He’s the top student at the school besides that genius kid that always sleeps in his classes. Why would he be your fan? All you do is play the drums.”

Chanyeol pinched the bridge of his nose to keep from glaring at Dongmin. “I know that but, really, I think it is him. He looks just like him.”

Dongmin clapped a hand on Chanyeol’s shoulder. “Dude, I’m sure there are plenty of guys with short brown hair and pale skin. He’s not that unique of a guy.”

Chanyeol shrugged his hand off of him. “Don’t say that.” He hated it whenever Dongmin spoke down about his fans. He always seemed to do that whenever Chanyeol got excited about one of them. First it was the fan with the green hair that he had a thing for, and now this one. He secretly suspected that he was not the only one who liked this new one.

“What? It’s true. Your fan is a dime a dozen, nothing special.” Dongmin picked at his fingernail.

“You don’t know him, so don’t say stuff like that.” Chanyeol rolled his eyes.

“And you do?” Dongmin raised an eyebrow. “Please, you don’t even know his name. You just squirm at your drum set while he teases you from the crowd.” He smirked. “He is a huge tease though, so I don’t blame you.”

That confirmed his previous thoughts. Chanyeol sprang to his feet. “I do not! I’ve just noticed that he seems to go to all of our shows and I want to thank him.”

Lin hid her smile with her hand and ran to the kitchen to get out of the way of Chanyeol and Dongmin. They had to argue at least once a week about something. Last week it was about Dongmin buying a new guitar with the money they made from the previous concert and this week, apparently, it was about fans, again.

Dongmin stood up and challenged Chanyeol, who was taller than him. “Thank him? Ha! No, you want to screw him.” He paused, “Dude, I see you every show. You are practically peeing your pants every time he shows up. It’s obvious. I swear, just hook up with him or something. Get it out of your system.”

Chanyeol narrowed his eyes and tilted his head. “Unlike you, I don’t go around screwing my fans.”

“You mean your ‘fan’, you only have one.” Dongmin sneered.

Chanyeol rolled his eyes. _‘Oh so we’re going there?’_  He thought to himself. “And what is that supposed to mean, mister I-just-got-some-random-girl-pregnant? Hmm?” Their noses were practically touching and Chanyeol face was turning a dangerous shade of red.

“Don’t even start. I don’t even know if it’s mine.”

Chanyeol scoffed. “Yeah because she’s a slut.”

Dongmin’s eyes flashed and he gritted his teeth. “You’re just asking for it aren’t you?”

Chanyeol’s smirked. “Go ahead, hit me. I know you’ve wanted to since we first started the band. You never liked me anyways. I always got the fans, while you had to go around sleeping with them to get a following.”

A blood vessel in Dongmin’s forehead throbbed. “You know what? I’m done! Go find another singer!” He turned on his heel and slammed the door on the way out.

Lin appeared from the kitchen. “Why do you egg him on like that?”

Chanyeol shrugged. “He insulted one of my fans and he knows how I am about them.”

“Yeah, but seriously? Why did you bring up his current drama?” Lin put her hands on her hips.

“He’ll be back.” Chanyeol plopped down on the sofa and bit his lip deep in thought. He glanced suddenly at Lin. “What if I dyed my hair?” He tugged at a blonde lock of hair.

Lin grinned slowly. “You know, I think it is time for an image change.” She sprang to her feet. “I’m going to go pick up some supplies, stay here.” She flounced out the door, her black spiked purse flapping against her side.

 

~*~

 

Baekhyun turned off the faucet and stood in the shower for a few seconds, dripping. He slammed a fist against the wall and cursed himself. _‘Why couldn’t I just tell him I’m a huge fan? Ugh! I’m so stupid!’_ He stared at the bruise flowering on his hand and sighed. He yanked the shower door open and stepped out onto the cool tile floor, almost slipping. He wrapped a towel around himself and padded to his room.

It was almost time for Sehun to return from his evening classes and Baekhyun really wanted to ask him what he should do about the whole situation. He was now Chanyeol’s partner in chemistry for the rest of the semester and he could not figure out how he was going to handle that. He contemplated not going to the next concert, but it was only a few blocks away, meaning he could stay for the whole show, and it was on a Friday so he did not have class the next day.

Sehun walked through the door, the moment Baekhyun pulled a big shirt over his head. “Baekkie? Are you here?”

“Yeah.” Baekhyun responded as he stepped into a pair of dark green plaid pajama bottoms.

“Why are you in your pajamas already? It’s not even six yet.” Sehun flopped down on Baekhyun bed, throwing his arm over his eyes.

“I’m turning in early tonight. I was up until five last night and I’m exhausted.” Baekhyun pushed Sehun’s legs over to one side and climbed under his blankets.

Sehun opened one eye and blinked at him. He then grinned and elbowed Baekhyun in the side. “So how was chemistry?”

Baekhyun’s eyes snapped open. “Oh god! He’s my partner now! I don’t know what to do!” He sprang to a sitting position, suddenly completely awake.

“What?” Sehun sat up as well.

“He. Is. My. Lab. Partner.” Baekhyun enunciated each word slowly.

Sehun’s grin grew even larger. “Normally, I wouldn’t care, but this is a big deal.” He let Baekhyun slap his arm and then continued. “Does he know you’re his fan?”

“No.” Baekhyun stared at his legs. “He even asked me about WOF, but I lied and told him I never heard of it.”

Sehun gave him a look. “Are you kidding me? Come on Baekhyun! You had your chance and you blew it!”

“I know! I know…I’m an idiot.”

“Well there’s still that concert in a few days.” He suddenly brightened. “I’m going with you.”

“Why? You don’t even like them.”

“I am going to make you meet him once and for all.”

“But why?” Baekhyun whined. He did not want Sehun to know that he was secretly excited that he was going.

“Because I’m tired of you moping around like a sad puppy. Besides, this will make chemistry even more interesting.”

Baekhyun’s eyes widened. “I can’t! I told him I didn’t know what WOF was!”

Sehun smirked. “Not my problem.” He started to get up but Baekhyun grabbed his arm.

“What about Luhan? What’s going on with you two?”

Sehun grimaced. “Absolutely nothing is going on between us.”

“I know you like him.”

Sehun frowned. “So what? If my parents find out they’re only going to want to use him.”

“So don’t tell them.” Baekhyun offered. Truthfully he did not want to be the only one to have a potential relationship in their dorm.

Sehun bit his lip. “He is really cute. And pretty. And really cute. Ugh! I don’t know!” Sehun flopped back onto Baekhyun bed dramatically.

“So go for it. You won’t regret it, I promise.”

“Those words sound eerily familiar.” Sehun peeked at Baekhyun through his fingers.

Baekhyun grinned. He was starting to feel better about the concert on Friday. He would have someone to back him up if things went awry and maybe he could even make Sehun a fan. He closed his eyes, still smiling when he heard a familiar ringtone from his closet.

Sehun stared at him and got up to retrieve the phone. He tossed it to Baekhyun and sat in his rolling chair.

“What?” Baekhyun answered the phone, adopting his harsher voice reserved for his dealers.

“I am so sorry! I didn’t mean to – I messed up big time.”

“What the hell did you do?” His voice had increased in volume. If that dealer lost another bag he was going to kill him.

“Look I know you said not to, but it was an accident and I didn’t mean to and I’m sorry.”

“The fuck are you talking about? You know what? Go to the location. I’ll talk to you there.” He slammed the phone shut and threw it against the wall, breaking it in two.

Sehun raised an eyebrow. “Trouble?”

Baekhyun glared at him. “Understatement of the year.”

“Want me to go with you?”

“No. I have a feeling someone is about to get a brand new face, and it won’t be pretty.” He was going through his closet looking for a nondescript hoodie and a pair of jeans. “If I’m not back by dark, come look for me at the usual location.”

Sehun sighed and got up from the chair. “You sure you don’t want back up?”

Baekhyun laughed bitterly. “Yeah, I’m sure.” He reached into his drawer for a pair of brass knuckles and fitted them over his fingers.

Sehun stared at him, solemn.

Baekhyun smiled thinly at him and whipped open the door. He usually never had to use violence in his trade, being that he was not completely comfortable with the idea, but this was the last time one of his dealers lost a bag. That was thousands of dollars down the drain. That and this was a side of him he was not too proud of. He tried to keep a positive image to his name, but his dealers knew he meant business when he told them to meet him in person. He could practically taste the fear he instilled in them.

 

~*~

 

Chanyeol ran his fingers through his chocolate colored hair and grinned. “Lin, this looks amazing!”

Lin smiled. “I know! I knew brunette would be a good look for you. I can only image the looks on the faces of the fans! They’ll go crazy over it.” He tossed the box of hair dye in the trash and pulled out her own box of hair dye. “I’m thinking a bright pink will be a shocker, don’t you think?”

Chanyeol nodded and twisted a lock of Lin’s green and blue streaked hair. “It’ll be a change for sure.”

She pushed him out of the bathroom and closed the door. “I’ll let you see the finished product! Now go make yourself useful and get us some grub.”

Chanyeol ran his fingers through his hair again. He had grown used to the blonde over the past few months and he really liked the deep chestnut color of his hair now. He smiled and thought of Baekhyun. _‘I’m sure it’s him. It has to be.’_ He grabbed his keys and left to get food.

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you haven't noticed, the chapter titles are Linkin Park songs. (Generally whatever song sparked the inspiration for that chapter becomes the title.)


	5. The Little Things Give You Away pt. 2

Luhan rolled over in his bed and stared at the wall. He closed his eyes and images danced before them. He kept seeing himself and Sehun walking down the beach on a crisp autumn morning, holding hands as the sea breeze gently ruffled their hair while they attempted to playfully push each other into the cool water. Or he would see the two of them lying on the grass, on a spring afternoon, butterflies flitting about and birds singing cheerily while he rested his head in Sehun’s lap. He could practically feel the warmth of the sun on his face and the gentle touch of Sehun’s fingers as he brushed his hair out of his face, smiling like the angel he was. They would be talking about everything from their childhood to their plans for the future.

He sighed and opened his eyes, blinking slowly as the longing set in. He hated how he had only seen Sehun a few times and yet he was completely enamored by him. Luhan snorted, it never took much for him to fall for a person. Sometimes it would be a pretty face, other times it would be a charming personality. However, more often than not, he usually fell for people who had already fallen for him. He liked to please people and if that meant he had to learn to love someone he would not normally go for, he was fine with that. Although, they never usually worked out. But this time was different. Sure Sehun was a pretty face, but he also had drawn Luhan like a moth to a beacon of light. There was something magnetic about him. It was almost as if Luhan was a boomerang and Sehun had tossed him into the wind, and no matter what, Luhan always came back to him. Or at least his thoughts did.

It had only been about a day, and after not being able to find a reason to go to the café yesterday, he ended up moping around the dorm since he did not have classes that day. He found out from Minseok that Sehun was not at the café and he had thanked him for checking for him even though it was in the opposite direction of Jongdae’s dorm.

Thinking of Minseok, Luhan threw his legs over the side of his bed and shuffled to his room. He peeked through the door and then crept in. “Minnie?” he whispered as he leaned over Minseok’s sleeping figure.

Minseok opened his eyes and sighed loudly. “What is it this time, Luhan?”

Luhan bit his lip. It was the _third_ time he had woken him up tonight, but he could not help it. He needed to talk to someone about his thoughts and since Kai was no longer answering his phone, he turned to his other best friend. Luhan sat on the edge of Minseok’s bed, sinking down slightly and nudged his legs to make more room for himself. “I can’t sleep.”

“Oh really? I haven’t noticed.” Minseok deadpanned. He sat up and pulled his legs up to his chest, yawning. “Tell me what’s bothering you. I’m awake now.”

Luhan stared at his hands. “Never mind, I’ll just leave.”

Minseok reached for his arm and tugged him back. “No, it’s okay. I’ll just drink an extra cup of coffee in the morning or something. Now, tell me what’s wrong, Lulu.”

Luhan sighed dramatically. “I can’t stop thinking about him! I don’t know what’s wrong with me. We’ve only spoken once and I’m completely head over heels.”

“This is the same barista from two days ago right?”

“Yes.” Luhan buried his face in his hands and peeked through them at Minseok.

“Two days? Luhan, two days. Don’t you think that’s a little early to be so caught up in someone, who according to you, may not even like you?”

“I know! But I just- ugh!”

Minseok patted his back reassuringly. “Well, I trust your judgment I guess.” He paused. “Maybe you should ask him for his number and actually get to know him?”

“That sounds wonderful, but how on earth am I supposed to do that when I haven’t even seen him lately?”

Minseok shrugged. “Maybe fate will bring you together?”

Luhan gave Minseok a look. He always had this thing with ‘fate’. It was cute, but it grew tiring at times. “Fate? If it’s fate, then why haven’t I seen him?”

Minseok shrugged again. “You have to be patient. Speaking of which, why don’t you come to dinner with me and Dae?”

“Why?” Luhan frowned. He liked Jongdae, but he always felt as though he looked right through him whenever he was around and it somewhat unnerved him.

“I don’t know, maybe we’ll see this Sehun guy.” Minseok grinned.

Luhan furrowed his brows. “Is something going on between you and Jongdae?”

“What? No! Why are you asking?”

Luhan carefully observed Minseok’s face. “You’re lying.”

Minseok sighed. “Everything is fine. Peachy even. I just don’t want you to mope around here while I’m gone.”

“I was not moping!”

Minseok raised an eyebrow.

“Alright. So I was, but still.” Luhan admitted.

“So come to dinner with us and get some fresh air.”

“Fine. I’ll go. But no more of this ‘fate’ stuff.” Luhan poked his nose playfully.

“Honestly, with the way you are, you’d think that you’d believe in fate.” Minseok rubbed his nose where Luhan poked it.

Luhan shrugged his shoulders as he walked back out of Minseok’s room. He could see the pinkish tint of the sky as the sun began to rise. He stared longingly at the coffee pot and then retired to his room where he flopped on his bed.

He must have fallen asleep, because the next thing he knew, he was being prodded by Minseok. “Wake up.”

Luhan groaned and swatted him away. “Five more minutes.”

“You said that twenty minutes ago. Get up, we have to go to class.” He was holding two mugs with coffee in them.

Luhan rolled out of bed and grasped the mug, quickly draining its contents in a few seconds. He stood and dug through his disorganized closet for something to put on. He settled on a white wife beater and a blue checkered button down over shirt. He slipped on a pair of light washed jeans and ran his fingers through his hair and decided he’d tie it up. He poked the little palm tree shaped fan of hair and grinned.

“You are not going out like that.” Minseok said from the door.

Luhan smiled. “I sure am! Now let’s go!” he shoved him out the door and locked their dorm. He ran down the stairs and waited for Minseok to catch up. “Come on, slow poke!”

Minseok shook his head and smiled. “I swear you’re a different person with coffee in your system.”

Luhan beamed and bounced on his feet as Minseok met up with him at the bottom of the stair case. He watched as other students walked briskly to their classes, heads down to combat the wind. He shivered a little, but did not want to wear his jacket as he felt it would ruin the look he was going for today. He linked arms with Minseok and skipped beside him to their class despite Minseok’s complaints.

 

~*~

 

The sunlight danced on the wall in specks and streaks. A faint smell of green tea wafted through the air to Sehun’s room. He blinked a few times, gathering his wits, and slowly sat up. He was on the floor again. He rubbed his head and glanced down at the pillow behind him. A faint smiled played at his lips and then he coughed. His mouth tasted metallic for some reason. He scratched his head once more and stood up, tossing his blankets and pillow back on his bed.

He walked towards the kitchen, the thought of eating a simple breakfast on his mind. He rubbed his back, which was slightly sore, most likely from falling out of his bed, and opened the fridge. He pushed aside the molding left-overs from a few weeks ago and reached for the milk at the back. He untwisted the cap and sniffed it cautiously. He dipped his pinky in and tasted it to be extra sure as the date had been smudged off. He shrugged his shoulders and reached into the cabinet to the right for a box of cereal. He rinsed off a bowl from the sink and found a plastic spoon amidst the mess on the counters and tossed that into the bowl. _‘We really need to clean up the place.’_ Sehun thought as he poured his cereal into the bowl, following it with milk.

He grabbed his bowl, after putting away the milk and food, and shuffled to the common room and lowered himself onto the sofa. He found the remote on the arm of the sofa and turned the television on so he could watch it while he ate.

His mornings were always this quiet. Baekhyun had early classes while he had opted for the afternoon and evening ones. He had never been much of a morning person and college did not change that one bit. He flipped through a few channels until he landed on some scientific show about how things were made. He slurped another bite of his cereal and watched as the factory machines put together a pad lock. It was mildly interesting and seeing as nothing else interesting was on, Sehun lounged on the sofa, after finishing his breakfast, and watched a few more episodes.

When his phone alarm beeped from his room, he got up and switched the television off. He took his bowl to the sink and left it there as he headed to his room to get ready for class. It was going to be a long day and he was not looking forward to his calculus class in the slightest. He found a simple green t-shirt and tugged it over his head. He stepped into his favorite black skinny jeans and slipped on a pair green shoes. He glanced at his reflection and nodded before he left the dorm.

The walk to his class was equally as quiet. Most of the students milled about in the courtyard. He spotted the art students sitting near a tree and noticed Luhan sitting with his back towards him. His heart fluttered at the sight and he whipped his head forward and forced every thought of him to the back of his mind.

He arrived shortly after, ten minutes early and slipped into his seat near the front. He figured sitting closer to the professor would keep him from dozing off, as he was still drowsy from the sleep medication. He thought he was the only student in the room until a paper ball smacked him in the back of the head. He slowly turns around and finds himself staring right into Kai’s face. “What’s your problem?”

“You.” Kai crossed his arms.

“I haven’t done a single thing to you.” Sehun narrowed his eyes.

“But you haven’t done anything to Luhan either.” Kai supplied.

“Why would I?”

“You like him.”

Sehun sighed loudly and turned back to face the front.

Kai called out to him. “Remember what I said. Hurt him and I’ll hurt you.”

Sehun was going to respond but another student entered the room so he held his tongue. How could Kai threaten him about something he has no control over. ‘ _So what if Luhan got hurt. It’s not like it’s my fault. I haven’t shown any interest so it’s his problem.’_ Sehun thought to himself as he fished out his notebook. He slammed it on his desk and gritted his teeth. If it wasn’t his parents breathing down his neck, it was someone else. He hated how everyone wanted to make decisions for him. He was an adult after all, a recent one, but an adult nonetheless. He could handle his own decision making and was determined to do so.

He found himself glaring angrily at his blank notebook page throughout most of class. It was only near the end, when the professor called on him, that he snapped his eyes up and muttered the correct answer, much to everyone’s surprise. The professor nodded, his face frozen in shock, and wrote the answer on the board. Sehun watched him with no emotion.

The class was dismissed and Sehun bolted out the door. He had one more class before it was time for him to return to the dorm. It was his foreign language class and he had chosen to take Mandarin. He liked the language and he knew it would be helpful in the future, that is, if he decided that he wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father.

The classroom was small and filled with various artifacts of Chinese culture. There were characters on rice paper on the walls, and a small plant on the teacher’s desk. Students filed in behind him and he found himself being pushed towards the middle of the class. He sat down at the desk one row to the right of the center row and five seats back. He could see out the window perfectly and instantly regretted his seat choice. He always had problems staying interested in the lessons, whether he found them interesting or not, mainly because he found his own personal thoughts much more intriguing.

He glanced out the window again and grimaced. He knew he was not going to pay attention to the professor in the slightest. Not when he could see Luhan walking with two other people in the direction of the parking lot. He recognized the guy wearing the rounded glasses as the genius kid from his physics class, but he could not figure out who the other one was. All he knew was that Luhan had linked arms with him and he was feeling somewhat jealous of the interaction as they talked to each other animatedly. The genius kid, whose name he thought was Jong-something, was absorbed in the light coming from some type of electronic device.

He watched as the other guy nudged him and the genius kid put away the device and grabbed his hand. He noticed that Luhan had unlinked his arm and was lagging behind. _‘So those two are clearly dating then.’_ Sehun thought as they disappeared from his sight.

He pursed his lips wondered if Luhan was dating anyone and then shook his head. His teacher gave him a strange look and the rest of the class stared at him.

“Sehun, if you don’t agree with the importance of Chinese history in this class, then why don’t you tell me why.” She said, her head cocked to one side.

“Oh, sorry, I was not listening. I agree that history is important.” Sehun replied in Mandarin and the professor smiled.

The rest of class was uneventful and he soon returned to the dorm only to find Baekhyun already there. He briefly wondered about his day and then set his things down by the door. His stomach grumbled and he thought about asking him if he wanted to get dinner with him tonight. He knew he would probably say no because of homework or something, but it did not hurt to ask. In the end, he knew he would probably order something to go.

He put his hands to his mouth and called, “Baekkie? Are you here?”

 

~*~

 

The car ride to the restaurant was awkward. Jongdae insisted on sitting in the back seat so Luhan sat in the passenger side while Minseok drove. There was clearly something going on between the two of them. He ended up watching the street lights and trees pass by as they headed south of the university to a small neighboring town. His mind drifted to Sehun once more and as they drove further from the school he found himself wildly hoping he would see him somehow. It would be highly unlikely, since they were traveling so far from the university, but he hoped nonetheless.

The restaurant smelled like alcohol and cigarettes, but it was still their favorite to get a hot home styled cooked meal. Luhan had been unsuccessful in bringing anyone else to this restaurant but Minseok and Jongdae never seemed to mind the place that much and even agreed that the food here, although tasting slightly of smoke, was some of the best available. Luhan quickly found them a table near the open window and sat across from Minseok and Jongdae.

He watched them carefully and could see the small frown on Minseok’s face when Jongdae pulled out a mini laptop and placed it on the table.

“Seriously?” Minseok asked, crossing his arms.

Jongdae looked up at him with a puppy dog like expression. “But I’m almost done!”

Luhan chimed in. “Done with what?” He could feel Minseok’s disapproving eyes on him, but he ignored them for the moment.

“Remember that one time when every time you searched for something on the school’s Ethernet and all that came up was a dancing monkey?”

Luhan grinned. “Yeah. That was pretty funny, but why are you asking?”

“I’m trying to make this prank a bit more _spectacular_. I’ve been working on it for the past week and a half and when I launch it, it’ll be great. Although I had a small setback last night because of Kai, I’ve been working nonstop all day.”

Minseok frowned. “Yeah he has. And he _promised_ that he would put it aside tonight, but apparently that’s not happening.”

Jongdae reached over and grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze. “I just need to put in a few more lines of code and I’ll stop for tonight okay?”

Minseok smiled tensely. “Fine.”

Luhan glanced out the window and stared into the night. Clearly there was a huge strain on Minseok’s and Jongdae’s relationship. He could feel the tension radiating from Minseok and was quite surprised that Jongdae was acting as if nothing was wrong. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Minseok watching Jongdae with a strange look on his face and he thought he almost imagined the fleeting expression of sadness that passed over in a flash. He turned back and hailed a waitress to their table.

She walked over briskly, a pen tucked behind her ear, and chewing gum loudly. “What can I get for you?”

Luhan smiled. “The usual.”

She nodded and turned to Minseok and Jongdae. “And you two?”

Minseok glanced down at the menu. “Um, I’ll have…” he trailed off as he scanned the options. “I’ll have the grilled salmon.”

She wrote down his order and raised an eyebrow at Jongdae, who was busy typing furiously. “And you, computer boy?”

Jongdae glanced up. “I’ll have what I normally get.” He gaze flicked back to the screen. “Oh and some coffee. Black, no sugar, no cream.”

“Alright. Your orders will be ready shortly.” She strode off towards the back of the restaurant.

Jongdae slammed the laptop shut and shoved it in his bag. “Done! For tonight that is.” He took off his glasses rubbed his eyes.

Minseok gave him another strange look and then sighed. Luhan frowned slightly. “So, how are things with you guys?”

Jongdae grinned. “Everything is great! Minnie is the best, really.” He nudged him with his shoulder and Minseok smiled slowly, his eyes clearly saying the opposite.

Luhan nodded. “That’s good.”

“Yeah.” Jongdae rummaged through his bag and pulled out a small black box. Minseok gaped at him. “You thought I forgot didn’t you?”

Minseok frowned. “Forgot what?”

Luhan snickered, covering his mouth with his hand as Jongdae opened the box and revealed what was inside.

Minseok narrowed his eyes as he pulled out a piece of paper. It read:

_Thought it was ring didn’t you? It’s something better. Lift the cushion._

Minseok pulled the velvet cushion up and then laughed and punched Jongdae in the arm. “You are such an ass!” He slid the diamond studded silver band on his finger and glared at him.

“What? You think I’d forget the day we met? I know it’s not technically our anniversary, but I still think it’s special.” Jongdae rubbed his arm and pouted.

Luhan forced a smile. He knew he was jealous but he did not want to show it. Even when things seemed to be going south with those two, somehow they remained solid. He wanted something like that. He bit his lip and reached for Minseok’s hand to examine the ring. It was quite impressive, yet simple. “Nice choice, Jongdae.”

Jongdae’s gaze flicked over to him and he laughed, sticking his tongue out slightly. “Thanks.”

Luhan smile tensed. Jongdae always seemed to dismiss him without meaning to. But he could still see his charm. “You’re welcome.”

Minseok preened. “This is really sweet, Dae. But I didn’t get anything for you…” He trailed off as he gazed down at the ring.

Jongdae shrugged his shoulders. “That’s perfectly okay with me. I figured I should make it up to you somehow. I’ve been neglecting you for the last two weeks.”

Minseok smiled and bumped Jongdae’s shoulder. “No, you’ve been busy.”

Jongdae shook his head and frowned. “No. But, let’s not talk about this now.”

Luhan was about to say something when Sehun walked in. He made a squeaking sound and kicked Minseok under the table. He could not believe his eyes. He fought the urge to run over to him and gripped the edge of his seat to keep from springing to his feet.

 

~*~

 

Sehun sat in Baekhyun’s rolling chair for a few more seconds before he jumped to his feet. His stomach growled loudly and he grabbed his keys from the hook by the door and ran down to the parking lot. He figured that Luhan and his crew would be eating somewhere close to the university and he did not want to run into them.

He sat down in the driver’s seat and cranked the car. He rolled down the windows to let the crisp air in and began driving south. He had a taste for a home cooked meal and he knew just the restaurant to go to. His thoughts were plagued by Luhan’s face and his smile and the way he had his hair tied up in the most adorable way possible.

Sehun wanted to force him out of his mind but he could not. There were two topics floating around in there and Luhan was the more positive one. It was either him, or worry about Baekhyun. So he chose to torture himself.

He arrived after getting stuck in traffic for about thirty minutes and checked his phone as he got out of his car. It was just begging to get dark and he was waiting for Baekhyun to text him to let him know he arrived back safely.

He was blasted by the warmth of the restaurant as he walked through the door. He wrinkled his nose at the pungent scent of smoke and scanned the assortment of people sitting at the tables. There were people from all walks of life there. He spotted a table of men in business suits, each of them talking animatedly on their phones, and right next to them was a group of teenagers flinging food at each other.

Sehun rolled his eyes and chuckled to himself when he spotted a rather upset looking woman sitting across from a guy who was pleading with her while he pushed the plate of food towards her. She turned her nose up and refused to eat it. The man sighed and begged her to eat just one bite and she finally relented and snatched the fork from his hand and shoved the food in her mouth, chewing angrily at first and then thoughtfully. Her face lit up and she took another forkful of food and ate it, a small smile on her face. Sehun looked away and hid his grin behind his hand. The food may not always look edible here, but it always tasted amazing.

He arrived at the counter and ordered a takeout meal of super cheesy macaroni and cheese with a side of chicken and green beans. It was the type of meal he never ate at home and yet for some reason, he loved it dearly. He drummed his fingers on the counter and scanned the people once more. His face froze when he made eye contact with Luhan. _‘What the hell?’_ He thought and tried to look away, but Luhan held his gaze relentlessly.

Luhan had forgone the palm tree ponytail and his bangs were messily styled. His face had a faint flush to it and his lips were parted in a small circle. His eyes sparkled and to Sehun’s horror he slowly got up.

Sehun tried to mentally tell him to go back and sit down, but Luhan clearly did not get those messages as he paused by the counter. Sehun held his breath and watched him as he ordered a drink and waited for it to be ready. His drink arrived before Sehun’s meal and he turned to walk away and Sehun found himself reaching out to grab his arm.

“Wait!” The word left his mouth before he even knew what he was doing.

Luhan turned around, a curious look on his face. “Yes?”

“You come here too?” Sehun slapped himself mentally.

Luhan smiled faintly and nodded. “Yeah, they have great food here despite its appearance.”

Sehun laughed even though what Luhan said wasn’t funny. He was feeling suddenly very nervous.

Luhan stared at him and grinned. “So what brings you here?”

Sehun was about to answer when his phone buzzed. He glanced at the blank message and panicked. That was Baekhyun's signal that he was in trouble. He licked his lips and shook his head. “Damn.” He looked up at Luhan and apologized once more for cursing in front of him. He felt that he should censor himself in front of him for some reason. Perhaps it was the innocent look on his face, or the way his eyes sparkled or the fact that he looked way younger than his age.

Luhan waved his hand dismissively. "It’s fine. But, is everything okay with you? You look worried.”

His phone buzzed again and he looked down to see another blank message from Baekhyun. He looked helplessly at the cook in the back and bit his lip. He was desperately hungry, but Baekhyun was in trouble. That and Luhan was standing in front of him with the most adorable worried expression ever. “Everything is fine. My friend is in a bit of trouble, his, uh, car broke down so he’s asking me to pick him up but my food hasn’t arrived yet.”

Luhan nodded. “If you need help, I can– ”

“Oh, no thank you. I can handle it.” Sehun blurted. “But thank you for the offer.” Then to his surprise as well as Luhan’s he reached for a pen and scrawled his number on the back of his receipt and pressed it into Luhan’s hand just as his food arrived.

He grabbed the bag and bolted out the door before he could see Luhan’s reaction and placed the his food in the backseat and peeled out of the parking lot.

 

~*~

 

“Did you guys see that?! Please tell me you saw that happen! Is this real?” He waved the receipt with Sehun’s number on the back in Minseok’s face.

Minseok grabbed it and then passed it to Jongdae who nodded. “Yep that’s real.”

Luhan beamed. “I did it! I don’t even know how, but I did it!”

“I wouldn’t get too excited yet. It’s just a number.” Jongdae said as he sipped his coffee.

Minseok gave him a dark look. “Ignore him. I told you it was fate!”

Luhan leaned over the table and hugged Minseok’s head. “I’m so happy I could kiss you!”

“Please refrain from kissing him. I’m not in the mood to break into the system and change all your grades to failing ones.”

“Jongdae!” Minseok exclaimed and hit his arm.

Jongdae rubbed it, pouting. “I was kidding!”

Luhan ignored both of them and smiled down at the number. He hugged it to his chest and then pulled out his phone to put his number in it. He wondered if he should call him tonight, but he figured that Sehun would be busy helping his friend, so he tossed the thought from his mind. He happily cut a piece of the key lime pie on his plate and ate it, closing his eyes and grinning. He was on cloud nine.

 

~*~

 

Sehun ran over to Baekhyun, who was standing over a body that was in a heap on the ground. “What did you do?!”

Baekhyun frowned. “I got a little carried away.”

“He’s not dead is he?” Sehun’s eyes bugged as he nudged the guy with the toe of his shoe.

“Nah. He’s just passed out. I think I hit him maybe fourteen times too many?”

“Fourteen? Baekhyun! What did he do?” Sehun grabbed Baekhyun and shook him by the shoulders.

“Oh I hit him more than that, but yeah after the third one he just stopped moving. He’s still breathing though.” Baekhyun shrugged. “I only need you to help me move him inside so no one sees him here in the morning.”

Sehun sighed and grabbed the man’s legs and hoisted him up while Baekhyun grabbed his arms. Together they moved him from the back street to the inside of the house. Baekhyun dropped the man, hard, on the ground and used his foot to move his arms down by his sides. Sehun watched him, mildly disgusted.

“That’s a little harsh don’t you think?” He said as he stared at the bloodied face of the man at their feet.

“I didn’t even use these,” He pointed to the brass knuckles, “so he got off easy.” He walked to the door and Sehun followed behind him.

Baekhyun was always a strange person to Sehun. One moment he was a shy bashful child talking about how much he was infatuated with Chanyeol and the next he was a cold hearted man who could not care less if someone died by his hands. Then there was the side of Baekhyun that used drugs, but that one was more sensual than he was scary and only made Sehun feel somewhat uncomfortable. Sehun drummed his fingers on his steering wheel as he followed behind Baekhyun’s car. He wondered which Baekhyun he’d be with at the concert and he hoped it was the shy one. However, he had a sinking feeling in his stomach it would not be that one.

They arrived back at the college a few minutes later and Sehun grabbed his food from the back seat. It was cold and he would have to heat it up once he got to the dorm. By the time he was inside Baekhyun was taking a shower, singing one of the songs he would always have on repeat.

Sehun rolled his eyes and put the food in the microwave and pressed the reheat button and waited. Baekhyun was out a few seconds later, a giant grin on his face. He poked Sehun in the stomach playfully.

“Soon you’ll be singing their songs!” He beamed.

Sehun shook his head. “I personally think your biased towards that band.”

“No I’m not. They just make amazing music.”

“They have a drummer that you want to get frisky with.” Sehun deadpanned as the microwave beeped. He pulled out his food and grabbed two plates. “Want some?”

Baekhyun pouted. “Okay, so maybe I do. But still, you have to admit they’re pretty good.” He nabbed a piece of chicken.

Sehun shook his head. “Not my type of music, but I’ll take your word for it.” He finished dividing the food and handed a plate to Baekhyun and walked to his room and sat on his bed. Baekhyun met him a few seconds later and sat on the floor.

“Whatever. You’ll think differently after you go to a concert.” Baekhyun stabbed a macaroni noodle with his fork.

“Speaking of the concert, I might not be able to stay long. I have work at six in the morning on Saturday.”

Baekhyun shrugged. “That’s fine. I’m staying for the whole thing, so if I’m not back until late, don’t worry.”

Sehun’s phone began to ring and he felt his cheeks burn. He answered it after swallowing his last bite. “Hello?”

“Sehun? It’s Luhan.”

“Oh, hi, Luhan.” He avoided Baekhyun’s surprised face and whispered, “I can’t talk right now, but I’ll call you tomorrow okay?”

“Oh.” He sounded disappointed. “Okay, talk to you tomorrow, then!”

Sehun pressed the ‘end’ button and tossed his phone to the foot of his bed.

“Sehun, why didn’t you tell me you two exchanged numbers? Are you two together?” Baekhyun prodded his leg.

“We’re not. I don’t even know why I gave him my number. It was stupid of me to do. I’m not calling him tomorrow.” Sehun buried his face in his hands.

“I will never understand you.” Baekhyun shook his head.

“I could say the same to you.” Sehun retorted weakly as he flopped backwards.

“I – you know what? I don’t know why I do what I do.” Baekhyun whispered the last part as if he was confessing to himself.

“Well, I’m forcing you to meet him no matter what.” Sehun smirked. Glad to have the subject change. He felt guilty for giving Luhan a little bit of hope, but he knew there was nothing he could do about it.

"Well, you won’t be forcing me. I think I’m ready to take this to the next level.” He pulled out a bag with four small white tablets in them. “I just got a shipment of these in and I want to test them out, and what better place to test out ecstasy than at a concert? It’ll make the experience even more amazing.”

Sehun frowned. “I don’t think you should do that, Baekhyun. You tend to have bad reactions to uppers.”

Baekhyun shrugged. “That reaction was a fluke. Honestly I don’t know why I had a nose bleed, I only snorted half a gram.”

“Exactly, your body can’t handle uppers. So give the bag to me.” Sehun held out his hand. He was not ready to see his roommate end up dead.

Baekhyun shoved the bag back in his pocket. “I won’t use it, I promise.” He stood up and left, taking his plate with him.

Sehun sighed. Baekhyun was getting into some heavier stuff and that worried him. He just hoped that his roommate and friend would still be alive by the time thanksgiving came around. It was only about a week and a half away, and at the rate Baekhyun was going, his apprehension only increased.

 

~*~

 

Luhan stared at his phone for the fourth time that night. He had hoped he would be able to talk to Sehun for at least a few minutes and was feeling down in the dumps over the fact that Sehun practically hung up on him before he even finished his sentence. “So much for fate.” He huffed and turned off his lamp. He laid in the darkness for a few minutes and then rolled onto his side and closed his eyes.

 

////

 

Kai knocked on Jongdae’s door frantically until he opened it. “I need you to do something.”

Jongdae gave him a look. “Do what?”

Kai closed the door behind him. “I need you to look someone up for me.”

Jongdae put his hands on his hips. "It won’t be free, you know.”

Kai nodded. “I know. I’ll owe you, but please do this for me.”

Jongdae walked back over to his desk and sat down in his chair. He pressed a few keys and a window popped up on the computer screen. He typed in a long password and billions of photos of people flashed on the screen. “Who do you want to know about? I’ve logged in under someone else’s name and I only have a few minutes before they get suspicious.”

Kai bit his lip. “Look up Do Kyungsoo.”

Jongdae typed in his name and a photo of Kyungsoo popped up on the screen. Kai walked over to look at the information typed under his picture. _‘Ah, so he’s older than me. Interesting.’_ He grabbed the mouse and scrolled down to read more information. _‘He’s not that well off…how’d he get into this school? Oh, that makes sense.’_ Kai’s thoughts flew through his head as he scanned the page, learning everything he wanted to know about Kyungsoo, without having to go through the trouble of taking weeks to get the information from him in person. He leaned back and patted Jongdae on the back. “Thanks man.”

Jongdae shrugged. “You owe me, remember that!”

Kai smirked and left Jongdae’s room. He now had everything he needed to make Kyungsoo fall for him. This semester was going to be a blast. He walked down the hallway and nodded at the people he passed by.

When he stepped outside he was struck by the frigid air and wished immediately that he brought his coat with him. He hugged himself and jogged over to his building. Luckily for him his dorm was not too far from Jongdae’s and he was soon in the warmth of his own dorm.

He kicked off his shoes and headed straight for his room. He had devised a plan to make Kyungsoo his in a matter of days. All he needed to do was make it seem real, a feat that would not be too hard for him to do as part of him actually liked Kyungsoo. He shucked off his pants and his shirt and climbed beneath his blankets. His mind was racing with the possibilities and he smiled to himself as he quickly drifted off to sleep. He could not wait for tomorrow’s class with Kyungsoo.

The next morning he sprang from his bed, dressing quickly in a  pair of jeans and a black top. He looked at his refection and grinned. His devilish good looks were at their peak with his slightly disheveled hair and casual appearance. If Kyungsoo liked the simple things in life, then he’d certainly like something as _simple_ as this look.

Kai booked it to class and walked in on Kyungsoo showing Ms. Jin a recipe, their heads bowed closely together while they chatted. Kai felt a strange sensation wash over him and he cleared his throat loudly causing Kyungsoo to jump back, his face reddening.

Kai walked over to his seat and sat down, glaring at the table. _‘How am I supposed to get him if he has a thing for the teacher?’_ He thought as he sighed loudly and pursed his lips.

Ms. Jin smiled at Kyungsoo and patted his back, “I think you should use the first one you showed me. It sounds absolutely delightful!”

Kyungsoo nodded, his gaze flashing over to Kai and then back to the paper in his hands. “Thank you. Um, if you want I can bring you some of the other one the next time I make it.”

Ms. Jin’s smiled widened. “Oh, please do! I’m very curious as to how that tastes.”

Kyungsoo beamed and walked back over to his desk. Kai watched him put the recipe on the left side of his work space and begin taking pots and pans out from the cabinet attached to his desk.

Kai frowned and looked at the instruments on his table. He hardly knew what all of them were called, let alone how to use them. He sighed and pulled out his phone to look up a quick and easy baked good he could make. He settled on making brownies and began searching the food pantry for the ingredients. He could not find everything he needed and figured he could substitute confectioners’ sugar for flour.

Ms. Jin walked around the classroom, observing them and quickly decided that Kai would need the most help as she hovered near him for the entire class. Kai mixed the ingredients in the bowl poured the thick batter into a pan, as the directions instructed him to, and then placed it in the pre-heated oven.

He returned to his seat and watched as Kyungsoo sprinkled in various seasonings like a professional. His sauce pan was filled with some type of sauce that smelled spicy and delectable. He was frying something else in another pot and the sizzling and popping sound filled the air.

Kai inhaled deeply as the various aromas wafted over to him and completely forgot about his brownies he was making in the oven. He was entranced by the expert moves that Kyungsoo made as he went from pot to pot, tasting each one and then after a moment of thought, he would sprinkle another seasoning in it. By the time he finished cooking Kai’s stomach growled loudly and he watched hungrily as Kyungsoo made a plate of the food.

There were beansprouts mixed in with the rice as well as various vegetables such as carrots, green peas, and cabbage. He had drizzled a dark viscous sauce over it and decorated the plate with tiny sprigs of basil. It was a work of art and Kai could do nothing but stare.

Ms. Jin grabbed a fork and tasted it. Her face was contemplative as she chewed it thoughtfully. Her eyes lit up and she nodded her head in appreciation. “This is really good! Well done, Kyungsoo.” She walked over to Kai’s desk and frowned. “Where’s your dish?”

Kai jumped and ran over to the oven. When he opened it smoke billowed out, choking him. He waved his arms futilely and pulled out a pan with blackened brownies out. He placed it on top of the stove and coughed into his hands. He had been so caught up watching Kyungsoo cook that his own concoction now looked more like a block of coal than brownies.

Ms. Jin grinned shamelessly. “Jong-Kai, I think it apparent that you need to most assistance in this class.”

Kai stared down at his feet. “You could just fail me and get it over with.”

Ms. Jin placed a hand on his shoulder. “No, sweetie, I’m going to make sure you don’t fail. In fact,” she glanced at Kyungsoo. “He’s going to be your tutor.”

Kyungsoo groaned and rolled his eyes. Kai watched him  with a frown.

Ms. Jin clapped her hand together. “Today will be your first lesson! Kyungsoo will help you make proper brownies and once that is done, you two are dismissed.”

Kai glanced back at his burnt creation and sighed. If he had not been so distracted, he knew they would have turned out decent. He walked over to his work space and waited for Kyungsoo to join him. Kyungsoo took as long as he possibly could and reluctantly joined Kai at his desk.

“Am I that detestable?” Kai asked when Kyungsoo left a two foot distance between the two of them.

Kyungsoo glanced at him and sighed. “I simply do not want to be associated with you, Kim Jongin.”

Kai grimaced and then nodded. “I understand.”

“You do?” Kyungsoo gaped at him.

“Yeah, I mean I’m a horrible person. I stay out late getting drunk and puking my brains out. I sleep with a different person every other day and to top it off I’m a giant asshole.” Kai smiled sadly. He knew it was all true and that didn’t bother him, he only wanted Kyungsoo to think it did.

Kyungsoo raised an eyebrow. “Well at least you’re aware of it.”

After that they hardly spoke aside from Kyungsoo nearly crying from laughing so hard at the fact that Kai thought he could substitute flour with confectioners’ sugar, to which Kai exclaimed that they had the same consistency. Kai put part one of his plan into action when Kyungsoo was mixing the ingredients in a bowl. He accidentally brushed against his arm trying to reach for a whisk so he could mix when Kyungsoo’s arms grew tired and Kyungsoo almost dropped the bowl altogether.

_Strike one._

While they waited for the brownies to finish baking, Kai tried to make small talk with Kyungsoo and failed miserably. The guy was making this much more difficult than he thought he would.

“So, you come from a small town?”

“Yes.” Kyungsoo answered curtly.

“What’s it called?” Kai asked leaning towards him.

“None of your business.” Kyungsoo side stepped him.

Kai bit his lip. “So, how is this tutoring thing going to work out if you can barely stand to talk to me?”

A strange expression flashed over Kyungsoo’s face and he sighed deeply. “Sorry. I’ll try to put my preconceived notions about you on the back burner when tutoring you.”

Kai smiled. “Good.”

Kyungsoo nodded and walked forward to check on the brownies. Kai shamelessly checked him out as he bent down to retrieve them. _‘He has a nice ass.’_ Kai thought to himself while he nodded. Kyungsoo turned to see him nodding and pursed his lips. “A little help would be nice.”

Kai quickly slid his hands into a pair of oven mitts and took the first pan from him and brought it over to his table. Kyungsoo followed behind him with the other one and they waited for them to cool before they removed them from the pans.

Ms. Jin took a small bite from one of the brownie squares and grinned. “Alright, you both receive an ‘A’ for your first test.”

Kyungsoo nodded his head and began cleaning Kai’s desk for him. “Meet me at the café in an hour.”

“Why?” Kai asked.

“I’m going to look up some things you can read to help you in this class.”

“Oh, okay then.” Kai left the room and tried to think of something to do for an hour. He figured he could dance for a bit and headed towards the studio.

 

~*~

 

Kyungsoo wiped down the table and then rinsed off the spoons and bowls they used earlier. Ms. Jin worked silently next to him, drying the dishes after he washed them. He kept thinking of the sad smile on Kai’s face when he tried to rebuff him. He did not know that Kai knew how he was thought of around the campus. Most people like him never realized what they were doing to themselves and to other people. Kyungsoo bit his lip. It was pointless for him to feel sorry for him since he knew anyways. He brought it upon himself, so he could stop any time he wanted to. _‘But, why didn’t he?’_ Kyungsoo thought to himself as he scrubbed the last dish clean.

“You’re awfully quiet.” Ms. Jin said as she dried one of the whisks with a dishrag.

“I’m just thinking.” Kyungsoo mumbled. It had only taken two days and he already felt as though he and Ms. Jin were fast friends. They had a love for cooking in common and sometimes, that was all it took for Kyungsoo to click with someone.

“About Kai?” Ms. Jin grinned.

Kyungsoo face felt like it was on fire. He balked at her. “No! Never! Not him! I was not thinking about him at all! What would make you think that?”

She laughed. “That reaction just gave me all the proof I needed.”

Kyungsoo shook his head. “I was not thinking about him. I have no reason to.”

“Then why did you offer to help him after class?” Ms. Jin grinned again and grabbed the pan from Kyungsoo’s hand to dry it.

“Because the quicker he learns stuff, the quicker I’m done tutoring him.”

Ms. Jin shook her head. “If you say so.”

Kyungsoo shook his head again. “I do not like him.”

“I never said you did, but now I think you do.” She placed the pan in the cabinet. “That’s perfectly okay you know? He’s not a bad kid.”

Kyungsoo continued to shake his head. “Nope. I do not like him. Bye, Ms. Jin.” He ran out of the classroom and almost slammed into another student walking towards him.

He stopped running once he reached the outside of the café and caught his breath. He finally walked in after a few minutes and inhaled deeply. He loved the way this café always smelled like hot chocolate and pastries. It reminded him of his parent’s bakery back home and that was comforting. He found a booth near the back and pulled out his laptop and began looking up some information that Kai could use.

 

~*~

 

Kai walked into the cafe and glanced around for Kyungsoo. They had agreed to meet there at noon and he was exactly forty-eight minutes late. He scanned the crowd once more and then saw him sitting in a booth in the far left corner. He was sipping a drink and had his laptop open on the table, clicking and scrolling every now and then. Kai watched him until he looked up and made eye contact with him. He frowned slightly and looked back at his screen. Kai sighed. He knew that Kyungsoo didn't like him, but he could have at least hid the fact a little better.

Kai slid into the seat across from him and poked the back of his laptop. "So how are we going to do this?"

Kyungsoo glanced up at him and pursed his lips. Kai had the sudden urge to kiss them until they were swollen and sore instead of the tight line they were in. Kyungsoo opened his mouth to speak, but a waitress had arrived.

"May I take your order sir?" She batted her eyes at him flirtatiously.

Kai blinked several times before her words sunk in. "Oh, I'll just have whatever he had."

She nodded and scribbled the order down on her notepad. "It'll be right out." she chirped.

Kyungsoo was staring at Kai. His expression was unreadable and they locked eyes for a long moment. Thoughts swam though Kai's mind. Thoughts of what Kyungsoo was thinking. Thoughts of the way his eyes were so wide that he always looked surprised. Thoughts of how he would look if Kai sudden leaned across the table and brushed his lips across his. Kai shook his head. Now was not the time to be thinking like that. He could not mess up his plan just yet.

A song began playing in the background. The beat made him want to dance, but he fought the urge. The man’s voice was smooth and rich. He tapped his fingers on the table to the beat and hummed along.

_Baby, tonight's the night I let you know_  
_Baby, tonight's the night we lose control_  
_Baby, tonight, you need that, tonight, believe that_  
_Tonight I'll be the best you ever had_  
_I don't wanna brag, but I'll be the best you ever had_  
_I don't wanna brag, but I'll be the best you ever had_

Kai smiled at the lyrics and then glanced around at all the couples snuggling up to each other. Kyungsoo had brought him to a couple hang out. He cleared his throat. "So are you going to answer me?"

Kyungsoo practically glared at him. "I'm only doing this for my grade."

Kai jerked back, surprised. "Oh."

"Here are some notes I'm looking up for you." He gestured to his screen. "I'll print them and drop them off at your dorm. By the way, where is it?" His voice inflected more than usual at the end and his eyes darted suspiciously.

"Oh I live on the west side of campus, by the fountain.” Kai gestured weakly to his left.

Kyungsoo gave him a strange look. “I live on the west side too. What building?”

“Building fourteen, room two-thirteen.” He scratched the back of his head. “I don’t have a roommate, so feel free to drop by whenever, I guess.”

“No roommate?” Kyungsoo muttered to himself and then immediately blushed when he realized he had said the words aloud. He cleared his throat. "It’s a little strange that’s all.”

Kai shrugged his shoulders and Kyungsoo went back to typing away on his laptop. Kai stared at him. He liked the way Kyungsoo’s tongue peeked out when he was concentrating, it was cute to him. Kai shook his head. He was not supposed to be crushing on his classmate, especially since his classmate hated him. And especially since he was supposed to be the one who made said classmate fall for him. Kai sighed and watched as the waitress delivered his drink with her number written on the napkin she set it on. She winked at him and then sashayed away.

Kai stirred the scarlet straw in his drink and tentatively sipped it. An explosion of rich hot chocolate in his mouth. There were little half melted marshmallows bobbing and swirling in the mug. The frothy whipped cream was beginning to mix in with the chocolate, giving it an even sweeter taste. Kai glanced up at Kyungsoo and then back at his mug. “You were drinking hot chocolate?”

Kyungsoo glanced up at Kai; his eyes slightly glazed over from staring at the screen and nodded slowly. Then he looked back down at his screen and continued typing. “I’m almost done with the notes for you.”

Kai nodded and sipped his hot chocolate once more. He closed his eyes and savored the taste. He couldn’t remember the last time he had something as simple as hot chocolate. The majority of his beverages consisted of alcohol and coffee, black and sugarless, the way his parents drank it. He had grown so accustomed to the bitter taste that he had forgotten the delectable taste of sweetness that filled his mouth. Kyungsoo was staring at him again and he raised an eyebrow. Kai felt himself blush and he whispered, “I haven’t had hot chocolate since I was, maybe, three years old? I can’t remember.”

Kyungsoo furrowed his brows. “Three years old? That’s a long time.”

“Tell me about it.” Kai muttered. His thoughts were going back to his family and he hated it when his mind did that.

“Hot chocolate is my favorite drink.” Kyungsoo mumbled and took a long swig from his mug. There was a faint hot chocolate mustache above his lips and Kai fought the urge to kiss it off of him, instead he gestured to his own lips and half coughed, half whispered, “You have something on your face.”

Kyungsoo brought his fingers to his mouth and blushed profusely for the second time that day. He quickly wiped it off with his napkin and then closed his laptop. “I’m done. I’ll drop these off after I print them at the library.” He stood abruptly and paused awkwardly at the edge of the table, gazing at Kai.

“Oh, I thought you were going to actually tutor me here.”

“Um, I thought better of that and decided it would be easier to give you these notes. I would have called, but I don’t have your number.” Kyungsoo was still standing awkwardly at the edge of the table.

Kai flipped the napkin the waitress wrote on and scribbled his number on it. “For next time.” He handed it to Kyungsoo who stared at it for a few seconds before he gingerly took it from his fingers.

“Um, right, next time.” Kyungsoo nodded and waited for Kai to say something else.

Kai remained seated and sipped his hot chocolate. “Go on, I’m going to finish my drink first. I should be back at my dorm before you get there.”

Kyungsoo nodded and turned towards the door. Kai watched him walk away. The young man had very nice thighs. Kai made a small sound of approval and then turned to stare out the window as Kyungsoo passed. He looked inside at Kai and then whipped his head forward, his cheeks turning even rosier as the wind cut into him.

_Strike two._

Kai grinned. For someone who supposedly hated him, he had quite a way of showing it.

 

~*~

 

Kyungsoo tapped his foot while he waited for the printer to finish printing the notes he made for Kai. He knew he still had a stack of homework waiting for him back at the dorm and was not looking forward to it at all. He pulled out his phone and stared at his newest contact, Kai. He read the number so many times that he was certain he had it memorized, not that he’d ever need to call it.

The printer was on the last page when it decided that it would be a great time to jam itself. Kyungsoo made an exasperated groan and stomped off to find someone who could unjam it. He shoved the pages the printer had already finished into his backpack and walked in the direction of the main desk. He was in the nonfiction aisle when he heard voices on the other side. Curious, he paused and listened.

“Here’s your stuff.” A voice murmured.

“Thanks, how much do I owe you?” Another voice whispered.

“One grand.” The first voice said.

“Shit.” The other voice said and then there was a rustling sound. “Here.”

The first person counted the money aloud and then clapped the other person on the shoulder, at least that what it sounded like to Kyungsoo, and emerged from behind the row. He turned and made eye contact with Kyungsoo and grinned widely.

“Kyungsoo! What brings you to the library?” Baekhyun asked as he threw his arm around him.

Kyungsoo turned just in time to see the school’s star basketball player, Kris, head in the other direction, his hands in his pockets. He turned back to Baekhyun and smiled. “Oh, I’m just printing notes for someone.”

Baekhyun smiled warmly. “Oh, who?”

Kyungsoo grimaced. “Kai. I have to tutor him in our cooking class.”

Baekhyun laughed. “Good luck with that. I used to help him out in chemistry earlier this semester, but he dropped the class.”

“Really? Is he as bad as they say he is?”

Baekhyun shook his head. “No, not really. He’s actually pretty funny. I don’t get why people call him an asshole, but then again I only knew him for a little while, so maybe I just did not know him enough.” Baekhyun shrugged.

Kyungsoo nodded and bit his lip. He suddenly remembered that he still needed the last page printed out and was about to ask Baekhyun if he knew how to unjam a printer but he was already gone. Baekhyun had a way of disappearing on people like that. Kyungsoo sighed and went to look for a person to help once again.

After a few minutes of watching the woman pry open the printer and pull the crinkled paper out, he was back in business. He had every sheet that he needed to give to Kai and was ready to head over to his dorm and give them to him.

He placed the papers in a folder and put the folder gently in his backpack and walked briskly to the door. He pushed it open and as the cool air washed over him, he decided that he wanted to spend the rest of the afternoon outside doing his homework. His dorm was on the way to Kai’s anyways, so a small detour wouldn’t hurt.

He arrived to an empty dorm and set his backpack down to go get his homework off his desk. He paused to write Chanyeol a note, telling him he’d be out by the fountain finishing his assignments, just in case he arrived before he came back. He stuck the note to the outside of the door, as high as he could reach, and headed towards Kai’s dorm.

He dialed Kai’s number as he walked down the stairs. Kai answered on the second ring and Kyungsoo suddenly stumbled on the last step. He dropped his textbooks and barely caught his phone before it hit the ground. “Uh, Kai?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m on my way.” He knelt down to gather his books, holding his phone between his shoulder and his ear.

“Okay.”

“You’re at your dorm right?” Kyungsoo asked as he reached for his music workbook.

“Uh huh.”

Kyungsoo nodded and then realized that Kai could not see him and said. “Oh, okay, I’ll be there soon then.” He hung up and shoved his phone in his pocket. He hefted his textbook in his arms and walked to Kai’s dorm.

People rushed past him, almost knocking him over several times, while he walked down the sidewalk. His shoulders were beginning to ache from the weight of his backpack and his arms were trembling from all of his textbooks. He slowly made his way up the stairs and kicked Kai’s door several times.

It swung open and Kai stared at him for a few seconds before he grabbed the textbooks from Kyungsoo. “Let me help you with those.”

Kyungsoo did not have the chance to refuse Kai’s help, so he thanked him and walked in, swinging his backpack off one shoulder so he could get the folder out.

Kai placed the textbooks on the coffee table and walked back to the door and shut it. “Why’d you bring so many books?”

Kyungsoo gave up trying to pull the folder out and rested his backpack on the back of the sofa and eventually found it. “Ah! Here it is.” He glanced at Kai who was standing behind him wearing only a pair of sweatpants and a towel around his shoulders while water dripped down him. Kyungsoo followed one drop that ran from his neck down his torso and gulped. He snapped his eyes back up to Kai’s and tried to speak, but no words came out, only a pathetic squeak.

Kai smirked and raised an eyebrow as he grabbed the folder. “Well?”

Kyungsoo shook his head violently. “Sorry. I was planning on doing my homework outside by the fountain.” He stared down at his feet to keep himself from staring at Kai’s perfectly tanned skin.

“Why don’t you do it here? It looks like it’s going to rain.”

Kyungsoo whipped his head up and frowned. “Um, that’s okay. I’ll just go back to my dorm.” He could have sworn the sky was clear on his way here, but sure enough, dark clouds were quickly approaching.

Kai placed his hands on Kyungsoo’s shoulders and steered him to the sofa and forced him to sit down. “No, stay, I insist.”

Kyungsoo gazed up at him, tempted to take his offer, but shook his head again. “I really should be going.”

Kai frowned slightly, his eyes were pleading and he whispered, “Please stay, I actually really hate thunder and I don’t want to be alone during the storm.”

Kyungsoo simply could not say no to that and sighed. “Fine. But I will be doing my homework, so don’t bother me.”

Kai grinned, his eyes crinkling at the corners and plopped down next to Kyungsoo. He grabbed his textbooks from the coffee table in front of them and placed them on his lap looking at their titles. “You take calculus?”

Kyungsoo nodded, eyeing him suspiciously. Kai was surprisingly different from how he was earlier in class. He seemed almost like a child, albeit an attractive child, but still a child. “What about it?” He opened his backpack and grabbed a pencil. He dug around in his backpack for his spiral notebook and pulled it out.

Kai handed him the textbook he was still holding and Kyungsoo opened it to the page their assignment was on. Kai watched him with an unreadable expression on his face. “I also take that class. In fact, I already did the assignment, you can copy it if you want.”

Kyungsoo laughed. “No, thank you.” Kai shrugged his shoulders and Kyungsoo found himself looking at him from the corner of his eye. He sighed and turned to him. “Can you please put a shirt on?”

Kai flashed a devilish grin. “Does my nakedness bother you, Kyungsoo?”

“No. I just feel weird sitting next to some half naked person I hardly know.” Kyungsoo knew he was lying. Kai’s lack of clothing was consuming the majority of his brain’s function. He knew he would not be able to focus on his math.

Kai stood up and stretched, his back muscles moving in a mouthwatering way and strode to his room. He returned shortly wearing a loose gray shirt and plopped back on the sofa. “Better?”

Kyungsoo nodded and focused his attention on his calculus assignment. He hated derivatives and for some reason he could not wrap his mind around the concept. He sighed and circled the number and moved on to the next one.

Kai peered over his shoulder and pointed to the circled question. “I can show you how to do that.”

Kyungsoo turned his head and almost brushed his nose against Kai’s cheek. He froze, his eyes opening wider than he thought was possible and squeaked. “Okay.”

Kai grinned and plucked the pencil from Kyungsoo’s hand and began writing. “Okay, so you see how the problem is a quadratic right?” Kyungsoo nodded and Kai continued. “Okay so what you are going to do is, only write down the parts of the equation that have an ‘x’, so that will be four x squared and three x.” He wrote it down on the paper and Kyungsoo nodded again, barely able to handle how close Kai was to him at the moment.

Kai continued. “So you bring down the exponent and multiply it by the constant for the first term, then for the second term you drop the x and voila! You now have eight x plus three.” He wrote that down as well and then flipped to the back of the textbook to show Kyungsoo that the answer was correct.

Kyungsoo balked at him. “How did you do that?”

Kai’s smiled faltered. “I just showed you, do you need me to go slower?”

Kyungsoo shook his head. “No, I get it actually, thank you, but I never would have guessed that you were good at math.”

Kai leaned back and laced his finger behind his head. “I get that a lot for some reason.” He chuckled. “I guess people underestimate my intellectual prowess due to my reputation. It gets tiring, but seeing the look of shock on your face is worth it.”

Kyungsoo bit his lip. Kai was indeed, not as bad as he thought. He was actually quite smart and that was a good thing in Kyungsoo’s book. He frowned slightly and then stood up. “I really must get going.”

Just then a crack of thunder sounded and Kai jumped. “Shit!” He rubbed his arms to disperse the goosebumps and muttered. “Thunder is the worse.”

Kyungsoo watched him sympathetically. He actually looked adorable when he was scared. _‘Did I really just think that?’_ He shook his head again. “Kai, I have to go. Read the notes and they should help you.” He gathered his textbooks in his arms and headed towards the door.

Kai watched him from the sofa. “You’re leaving?”

Kyungsoo nodded and reached for the door with one hand while he tried to balance the stack of textbooks in the other. He nudged the door open with his foot and stumbled into the hallway, glancing back at Kai’s face once before he scrambled down the hallway.

His heart was racing as he opened the door to his dorm from running the entire way there. He dropped his textbooks on his bed and paced in his room. Kai did not make any sense to him. Yesterday he was a pompous asshole. This morning he was a hopeless excuse for a cook and just then he was a five year old child who was afraid of thunder. None of it made any sense to Kyungsoo. None of it matched up with the reputation he had.

Kyungsoo glanced outside as another clap of thunder sounded. He was mildly worried about Kai, but quickly squashed the feeling. Kai was not someone he should be worrying about. He could handle himself. He was in college after all. Kyungsoo shoved his textbook against his wall and sat down hard on the edge of his bed. He cradled his head in his hands and sighed. Could it be that he was actually beginning to like Kai? _‘No. I do not like him!’_ He exclaimed in his head. _‘He’s not my type.’_ He sighed and gazed over at his calculus textbook. It seemed like things had taken a rather strange turn.

 

~*~

 

Kai danced in his room. There were so many strikes made during the hour Kyungsoo spent at his dorm. He was certain that by next week, Kyungsoo would be his. He flinched slightly as another clap of thunder rumbled in the distance and peered out the window. It had not begun raining and the clouds were quickly dispersing. He honestly did hate thunder, but he was not sure why he had shared that bit of information with Kyungsoo.

He shrugged his shoulders and figured it would only help his plan advance. He dialed Luhan’s number after dancing for a few more seconds and jumped on his bed. “Luhan!”

“Hey, what’s up?”

“So you know that plan I mentioned a few days ago?” Kai asked as he laid back and put his feet in the air, wiggling his toes.

“Yeah, what about it?”

"It’s working! You should have seen him when he came over! He’ll be eating out of the palm of my hand in no time.” Kai grinned and continued wiggling his toes. They looked somewhat funny to him.

“Oh really? That’s great.” Luhan replied.

Kai frowned. “Hey, is something wrong?”

He listened as Luhan sighed loudly. “Just the usual problem.”

Kai pursed his lips. “Have you tried finding out his schedule?”

“Kai, that’s kind of creepy. So, no, I did not.”

Kai shrugged his shoulders and lowered his feet from the air. They tingled slightly from the blood rushing away from them and he scrunched up his nose at the sensation. “Oh.”

“Hey, I have to go. I’m going out to dinner with Minnie and Jongdae.”

“I thought you didn’t like Jongdae.” Kai rolled over onto his stomach and picked at the thread on his blanket.

"It’s not that I don’t like him. I don’t think he likes me all that much, so I’ve kept my distance from him.”

“Makes sense I guess.” Kai tugged at the string and watched as it slid free.

“I have to go now. I’ll talk to you later okay?”

“Alright. Bye.” Kai hung up and let his phone fall from his fingers to the floor. He was bored and there was nothing left for him to do. He rested his head on his pillow and tried to devise a plan for the next cooking class. He figured he would keep the approach he was using to win Kyungsoo over since it was working so far.

His thoughts then traveled to the folder he left on the table and he slowly got up and padded to the common room and sat down on the sofa and opened it. The notes were spectacularly organized by category.

Kai scanned the table of contents Kyungsoo made and turned to the seventeenth page. It was a detailed page on baking and at the top was a note in bold font expressing that he could not substitute flour with confectioners’ sugar. Kai rolled his eyes and turned back to the first page. It was only six in the evening and he did not have anything planned for the rest of the night. He tucked his legs under him and began reading.

A few hours later he yawned and placed the notes on the table. He had read all fifty pages and felt like he had a very vague grasp on the basics of cooking. He knew it would help him, but there were aspects that only experience could teach him. Knowing that his experience was limited, Kai sighed. He was going to keep the notes in a safe place for future reference.

He got up and returned to his room, ready to go to bed when his phone rang. He stared down at the name and grinned wildly. “Hi, Kyungsoo. Do you need help?”

Kyungsoo laughed nervously. “Yeah, the last question for the calculus homework is not making sense to me. I’ve tried to solve it several times and I keep getting the wrong answer.” He paused. “You don’t mind me calling you for help right?”

_Strike three. You’re out!_

Kai smiled to himself and shook his head. This was all too easy. “Not at all.” He sat down on his bed and pulled out his assignment. “Let me find the question.”

Kyungsoo waited on the other end and Kai could hear him humming to himself to pass the time.

Kai listened to him for a bit after he found the question. “Okay, I found it. Let’s see, did you multiply the powers and the coefficients?”

“Yes.”

Kai scanned his paper. “Did you make sure your signs were correct?”

Kai could practically see Kyungsoo slap his face. “Wow I feel stupid. Thank you for your help.”

Kai chuckled. “No problem.” He bit his lip and then grinned. If Kyungsoo answered ‘yes’ to his next question he knew for a fact that he had him wrapped around his finger. “So, are you doing anything this weekend?”

Kyungsoo made a scoffing sound. “Not you.”

Kai furrowed his brows. “I didn’t mean it like that.” _‘Okay, so maybe I did, but he doesn’t need to know that.’_ Kai thought to himself while he waited for Kyungsoo to respond.

“I’m busy.” Kyungsoo rustled his papers. “Thanks again for the help. I have to go.” He hung up.

Kai stared at his ceiling, shocked. “What the fuck? He was practically a puddle earlier. What happened?” He asked to no one in particular. He dropped his phone and frowned. He could have sworn that Kyungsoo had eaten up everything today. How on earth could he revert back in less than four hours? Kai frowned and racked his mind. This was not as easy as he thought.

 

~*~

 

Kyungsoo stared at his phone in his hand. _‘Did he really just ask me out? Surely that was a joke.’_ He thought. He finished correcting his answer and shut his calculus book and shoved the book on the floor. He finally finished all of his homework as was ready to go to bed.

His door opened and Chanyeol poked his head in. Kyungsoo narrowed his eyes at him and Chanyeol pointed to his hair. “How does it look?”

"It looks good, but why did you die it?” Kyungsoo asked.

“I wanted a change.” Chanyeol grinned. He walked in and sat down at the foot of Kyungsoo’s bed.

“I like it.” Kyungsoo reached over and tugged at a lock of it.

Chanyeol smiled again and then gave him a serious look. “There’s something I need to ask you.”

“Go for it.”

Chanyeol fidgeted with his hands and then sighed. “I think I have a problem.”

Kyungsoo patted his back reassuringly. “With what? The drinking? I can sign you up for a program and we can take care of that.”

Chanyeol gave him a strange look. “No, not that. It’s about something else, someone else.”

“Is it that lead singer of your band? You know, I never really liked him that much.” Kyungsoo babbled.

Chanyeol shook his head. “No, it’s about a fan.”

“Oh. Well what about this fan? Are they invading your privacy?” Kyungsoo felt like he was being slightly annoying with these questions, but he needed to keep his mind off of Kai and these questions were one way to do that.

Chanyeol shook his head again. “No, I think it’s someone you know. Someone that most people would never suspect.”

Kyungsoo frowned. “Who?”

“Baekhyun.” Chanyeol whispered.

Kyungsoo laughed. In a way he could see Baekhyun doing such a thing since he was a little on the alternative side, but for the most part, it was ridiculous. Chanyeol’s band definitely did not play the type of music that Baekhyun would like. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. I think he’s _the_ fan. The one who has been there from the start.” Chanyeol bit his lip.

“I don’t think so. But, if you have a reason to believe that, then I’ll humor you.” Kyungsoo nodded.

Chanyeol smiled gratefully at him. “Thank you. Everyone else I told this to, shot me down immediately. I mean, why is it so unbelievable?”

“Well, he does have a certain type of reputation here. He’s pretty much known to be extremely prim and proper, as well as studious and clean cut. While your band is the exact opposite. Usually those two don’t mix, but who knows? He could be into it. People are entitled to their interests you know?”

Chanyeol nodded and gave Kyungsoo’s leg a squeeze. “Thanks.” He stood up and headed towards his room. He paused at the door and looked back. “I have a concert nearby on Friday, if you wanted to come and see.”

Kyungsoo pursed his lips and shrugged his shoulders. “Sure, I’ll go. Where is it?”

“Really?” Chanyeol brightened. "It’s at the bar a few blocks from here.”

“Okay, then I’ll pop in for a few.” Kyungsoo smiled. Now, in case Kai called him again, he actually had plans and felt less guilty about blowing him off if he was really being sincere earlier.

“Thanks bro.” Chanyeol grinned and left the room.

Kyungsoo flopped back on his pillows and closed his eyes. He was not the biggest fan of Chanyeol’s band’s music but he figured he could at least support him. His phone buzzed and he saw a message from Kai.

**12:23 am: My offer still stands.**

Kyungsoo smirked and replied.

**12:25 am: I’m going to a concert, sorry.**

He rolled over and waited for Kai to respond. His hand tingled from the vibration and he read the message.

**12:26 am: WOF? I was thinking of going there actually. Wanna meet up?**

_‘Damn. That didn’t work.’_ Kyungsoo thought and then replied.

**12:26 am: I guess…**

 He had barely pressed send when Kai responded.

**12:27 am: Cool. See you then :)**

Kyungsoo groaned and tossed his phone away from him. How was he supposed to keep a distance between the two of them if he was going to be everywhere he was? He shimmied under his blankets and squeezed his eyes shut. He was suddenly dreading Friday with all his might. He didn’t want to not show up because he already told Chanyeol he was going, but he also did not want to see Kai.

He hated how he made him react. He was not supposed to like him and yet every time he saw him he got huge butterflies in his stomach and his mind turned to mush. Why did the school’s most prized possession have to end up in his cooking class? He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. He was going to have to work extra hard to find someone else to like and quick. Because he feared that if he wasn’t careful, he’d end up falling for that jerk and that was the last thing he wanted to do.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so this concludes Chapter 2! I had to split them up because this chapter all together was 21,724 words!  (13,285 of them in this part alone) But yeah, I might not be updating this weekend...I have a busy week ahead of me next week so I want to get the next two chapters done since I won't have much time to write. Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed and as always, please comment! I love you all!<3 Also I'd like to thank everyone for subscribing! You guys give me motivation to continue writing! :3


	6. Gravity pt. 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this part is just Taoris because the next one is a giant mix of Hunhan, Kaisoo, and of course Baekyeol, with little snippets of Xiuchen. Since those three are all intertwined for that chapter, I can't split them up evenly...But, I wanted to give you guys something, since I've been gone for so long! So I hope you all enjoyed! And look forward to Part 2 which will be coming soon! As always, please comment and I will try my best to answer all of your questions ^-^ You guys really are the best!

Tao rolled onto his stomach and froze. The sheets on the bed felt silky against his skin and the room smelled a bit like home. It was a mix of a spicy cologne and the ocean. He lifted his head and blinked several times as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. He was not in his room. He frowned and pushed himself up on his elbows. “Where am I?” He whispered and a creaking sound off to his right caught his attention. He whipped his head over just in time to see Kris stand up from the chair near the window.

“You’re up?” Kris leaned down to examine his face and Tao’s breath hitched. Kris was wearing a pair of black rimmed glasses, much like his own, and his hair was pinned back away from his face with sleek black clips. He had on a simple loose black t-shirt and black basketball shorts. The contrast with his skin made him glow in the low lighting. He reached out and pressed the back of his hand against Tao’s cool forehead.

Tao jerked back and quickly checked to see if he was still in his clothes. His eyes darting around him frantically. Sighing with relief he pulled his knees up to his chest and regarded Kris curiously. A faint frown pulled at his lips.

Kris put his hands up in surrender. “Hey, relax, everything is fine. I just brought you here because I don’t know where your dorm is.”

Tao nodded and slowly stretched out his legs. "Oh."

Kris continued to look at him with a concerned expression. “How do you feel?”

The frown tugged even more as he thought of his current condition. “I feel okay, a little shaky, but that’s nothing to worry about.”

“Are you sure? I can make you some chamomile tea to calm your nerves.” Kris offered as he gestured to the open door that led out of his room.

Tao stared at him and then grinned slowly. “That’d be great actually.”

“Okay, I’ll get the water ready.” Kris backed out of the room and gave Tao one last look before he turned and left.

Tao scanned the room, his eyes fully adjusted to the dark by now, and concluded that Kris was a man of elegant and simple tastes. His room was spectacularly clean and his furniture was some type of dark wood styled in a traditional minimalistic fashion. There were exactly six drawers on his dresser and two on each of his nightstands. His desk was made from the same wood and had an overhanging bookshelf filled with various novels. There were a few trophies on shelves that were mounted on the walls and a single grayscale portrait of the ocean across from his bed.

Tao looked down at the comforter and sheets on the bed and rubbed them between his fingers. They were almost silky to the touch and the same dark color as the rest of Kris’s furniture.  He was lost in thought when Kris returned with two mugs filled with tea.

“Here you go.” Kris handed Tao a mug and then returned to the chair by the window. He sipped the tea and then set it down on the small table Tao's I initial scan missed earlier.

Tao could feel the warmth of the tea radiating to his palms. He brought it to his nose and inhaled deeply. The earthy scent of it almost immediately unknotted the kinks in his muscles. He sipped it and then held the mug in his warming hands while he watched Kris stare out the window. “What are you thinking about?”

Kris looked at him with an expression caught between longing and sorrow. He smiled faintly and said, “Nothing.”

Tao nodded and took another sip. If Kris wanted to tell him, he would, in his own time. Tao was not one to pressure people to reveal their secrets. They were _secrets_ after all. He gazed down into the half drained mug and watched as a small chamomile flower swirled around. He felt a pang in his chest and then made a confused expression as he pointed to the mug. “Why is there a flower in my tea?”

Kris chuckled. "It’s a chamomile. My mom used to make it that way.”

“Oh.” Tao bit his lip and watched as it spun slightly. He could feel the sob in his throat before his eyes prickled. “My mom used to do the same.” His voice was small. He blinked back the tears as a memory flashed before his eyes. It was a single blinding smile and then he was airborne, giggling and kicking his legs as his mother spun the five year old version of him in the air. He remembered her warm embrace and the way she always smelled faintly of lavender.

Suddenly the mug was lifted from his hands and he was being folded into a firm hug. Hot tears rolled down his cheeks and he turned his head and clutched Kris’s shirt. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt so small.

Kris rubbed his back soothingly and whispered. "It’s okay, everything will be okay. I’m here.”

Tao’s shoulders shook from his silent sobs. He bit his lip to keep from crying aloud and let the memories wash over him.

_He was sitting in the waiting room at the doctor’s office, swinging his legs. His arm was bandaged at the elbow with colorful strips of material  from where he had his blood drawn. It was the sixth time he had been to the doctor’s office in the past two weeks. He could hardly remember why his parents were so frantic about bringing him back so often. It had been a while since he suffered his last attack._

_His mother was gnawing on her lip and her clasped hands were trembling. Tao tugged the flowered sleeve of her blouse and asked, “Momma, what’s wrong?”_

_She patted his hands and then stroked his cheek. “Nothing Taozi, don’t worry about Momma.”_

_Tao pouted and was about to ask her again, when the doctor walked out, a grave look on his face._

_Tao’s mother scooped him up in her arms and walked over to meet the doctor. “What are the results?”_

_The doctor stared at the clipboard and frowned. “I am so sorry, Mrs. Huang. But, I’m afraid it’s worse than we thought.”_

_Tao’s mother let him slide from her arms as she began trembling all over. Tao tugged at the hem of her blouse “What is it, Momma?”_

_She ignored him as the doctor continued. "It’s curable, but it’s quite expensive, and it says here that you do not have insurance, so the medical bills will have to be paid by your household.” He flipped through a few more pages._

_“How much?” Her voice was barely audible._

_“Five hundred thousand dollars.” The doctor pursed his lips._

_She shook her head. “There has to be something else.”_

_The doctor sighed. “There is another alternative, but it’s rather outdated and I can’t guarantee that it will fully cure him. However, it is considerably less than the current treatment.” The doctor glanced down at Tao and waved his hand at him. Tao hid behind his mother’s leg eying the man suspiciously._

_She nodded her head and agreed to the alternative treatment. She signed at the bottom of the paper and held her chin high as she picked up Tao once more._

_Tao patted her shoulder and asked the last question any mother wanted to hear. “I’m not going to die am I?”_

_She froze and held him tighter against her chest her eyes watering slightly. “No, sweetie, everything will be okay. As long as I’m here, everything will be just fine.”_

_Tao tried to pull back because his mother sounded strange to him. When he saw the tears on her face, he knew. It was an odd experience for a six year old to have, but that moment when the entire world made sense had donned on him at the ripe age. It was as if he aged in a matter of seconds. He reached with his small hands to wipe her tears and smiled. “You’re right, Momma, everything will be okay.” He nodded his head and added, “I’ll try not to be sick anymore, okay? So don’t cry.”_

Tao gently pushed Kris back and sniffled. “Sorry.”

Kris shook his head. "It’s okay.”

Tao stared at his hands. “She’s dead, you know. They both are.”

Kris’s brows creased and he placed his hand on top of Tao’s. “I’m sorry.”

Tao smiled weakly. “Don’t be. It’s not your fault.” He pulled his hands from Kris's light grip.

Kris frowned. "It’s not yours either.”

Tao looked up at him with a mildly shocked expression. He then quickly composed his face and cleared his throat. “I should head back now.” He pushed himself from the bed slowly and shoved his feet into his shoes while Kris watched him from his perch on the edge of the mattress. He glanced back at him as he opened the door, “Thank you.”

Kris nodded and walked over to the door to see him out. “Be careful and let me know when you get to your dorm.”

Tao waved and then sighed as Kris closed the door.

 

~*~

 

Kris had always found it hard to let people into his life after the break up. And yet he found himself growing fond of the dark haired boy. There was something about him that made him want to protect him and care for him.

Kris shook his head and gripped the doorknob tightly. He contemplated flinging the door open and chasing after Tao, but thought better of it. He resigned and slid down to a sitting position against the door. The tile felt cool to his bare hands as they lay by his sides, palms up. He sighed and stared at the darkened kitchen and silently cursed himself. If only he had not made that tea, Tao would still be there. He wrapped his arms around his legs and soon was asleep in front of the door.

“Yo! What the hell Kris? Move!”

Kris cracked open his eyes and blearily stared up at the door which was being forced open on him. He blinked a few times and then scooted from in front of the door, rubbing his sore back.

His roommate burst into the room and stumbled a few steps before gathering his bearings as he windmilled his arms. “Dude, you look like shit.”

Kris absentmindedly reached up to touch his face and glanced up at him.

His roommate’s face changed immediately. “What happened?” He squinted his eyes at him and knelt down.

Kris batted his hand away and stood. “Had a rough night, that’s all.” He paused and observed the red hickeys along his friend’s neck. “Score last night?”

His roommate grinned and stood up. “Hell yeah! She was a cheerleader so she was extremely flexible.”

Kris smiled and stretched. “Sounds like you enjoyed yourself. She a keeper or a one night stand?”

His roommate grinned even wider. “Even better,” he paused dramatically. “We’re fuck buddies.” He raised his hand up for a high five. “Can’t get any better than that!”

Kris high fived him and scratched the back of his head, mussing his hair. “Be careful, bro. She might develop feelings.”

His roommate shook his head. “Nah. We talked about that already. It’s strictly sex, no emotions involved.”

Kris shrugged and headed towards the bathroom. “I need a shower.”

His roommate called after him. “We have class today.”

“I’m skipping.” Kris yelled as he pushed open the door.

He stared at his reflection and frowned. He looked extremely tired, faint circles under his eyes and small whiteheads forming on his nose. He searched for his face wash and scrubbed harshly at the tiny bumps until they were gone. He checked his reflection once more and then sighed. There was nothing he could do about the dark circles at the moment. He had heard that almond oil and honey worked, but he had neither in his dorm, and decided he would go by the store after his shower.

Thirty minutes and one body scrubbed free of all dirt and oils, Kris emerged from the shower dripping and feeling clean. He ran his fingers through his wet hair and grabbed a towel from the linen closet and wrapped it around his waist. He glanced at the fogged mirror and wiped a hand down it. He examined his face once more and then half frowned. The circles were still there, but other than that he looked particularly radiant.

He quickly dressed and noticed that his roommate was sitting on the sofa watching a football game. He glanced back at Kris and motioned for him to join him, but Kris shook his head. “Where are you going?” His roommate sprang to his feet and turned off the television.

“I’m going to the store.” Kris said as he entered his room. He pulled open his drawers and removed a neatly folded deep gray button down shirt with a white collar. He laid it down on his bed and smoothed it with his hands. He then found a pair of khaki colored pants and placed them next to the shirt. He searched his closet for the perfect belt and settled with deep blue belt with a yellow stripe.

“Seriously? You’re wearing that to go shopping?” His roommate chimed from the doorway.

Kris gave him a cursory glance and then dropped the towel from his waist as he stepped into a pair of name brand boxer briefs. He quickly dressed himself, tucking in the shirt and buckling the belt. He stared at his collection of shoes and settled on a pair of boots and pulled them on. He turned and looked at his reflection and ran his fingers through his hair. It was getting quite long and he needed a trim soon.

“I swear, I’ll never look as good as you.” His roommate shook his head. “You make that look effortless. If I had that on, everyone would assume I was trying too hard, but you? Not even remotely fair, man.”

Kris laughed. “Stop with the flattery. If I didn’t know better, I’d swear you were into me.” He clapped his roommate on the shoulder and grabbed his keys. He glanced back at his roommate, “You coming?”

“Nah. I think I’ll go to class. The English teacher may hate you, but you’re not failing her class.” He shook his head and muttered under his breath about how unfair it was that Kris had a near perfect grade point average, making him number three in the school.

Kris smirked and headed outside into the cool air. He breathed in deeply and relished the warm sun beating down on him. He leisurely walked down the steps, enjoying the weather and the smell of the coffee shop nearby. He contemplated getting a mocha, but decided against it. He figured he would get something once he was in the city, away from the college.

 

~*~

 

Tao was headed towards his practice building when he spotted Baekhyun rushing towards him. He attempted to side-step him, but Baekhyun slammed right into him. “Whoa.”

Baekhyun looked up at him and grinned. “Hey come with me for a few seconds.” He grabbed Tao by the elbow and yanked him behind him.

“I can’t! I have practice.” Tao exclaimed, rooting his feet to the ground.

Baekhyun frowned. “But I need your help with an outfit and you have an artistic eye.”

Tao shook his head. “If it can wait until after practice, then I can help you.”

Baekhyun’s frown deepened. “Never mind then.” He paused and then smiled. “But, we should hang out soon, I feel like I haven’t seen you in ages.”

Tao grinned. “Yeah, that sounds great actually. I’ll let you know when I’m free.”

Baekhyun nodded and then ran off towards the parking lot. Tao watched him, a fond feeling growing within him. Baekhyun was a very dear person to him. He had saved him, unintentionally, on _that_ night. In fact, if it weren’t for Baekhyun, he was sure he wouldn’t be alive.

He glanced at his staff and twirled it before he continued walking to his practice. The building where his practice was held was nearly empty aside from a few other classmates milling outside by their respective styles of martial arts.

Tao was the only student that was in the class for wushu as it was not the most popular style at his college, so he and his headmaster had a very close relationship. In a way, he was like a second father to him and he told him everything.

“Sir?” Tao called as he set down his staff against the wall and pulled off his shoes by the entrance. He glanced around at the dark room and shrugged. He figured that his headmaster was in his office.

He padded out onto the practice floor, which was covered by a thin mat, and began stretching. His muscles were still a tad sore and there were a few kinks he wanted to work out. He knew a few minutes with the punching bags would take care of his stress and could not wait to get started.

He sat with his legs together, in front of him, and reached for his toes, stretching his hamstrings as well as his back muscles in the process. It was his favorite stretch. The slight pain from his muscles being woken up, was welcomed and almost craved.

When he first began taking the art, he hated the feeling of his muscles being pulled free of the tiny knots, but now, he enjoyed the sensation. He spread his legs apart and reached out in front of him and pressed his chest to the floor, further stretching his legs and back.

His headmaster entered the room from his office near the back and grinned at Tao affectionately. “You look better than yesterday, Taozi.”

Tao smiled. “I feel much better too, sir!” He knew it somewhat bothered his headmaster that he always called him sir, but it was a habit ingrained in him from such a young age, that he could not get rid of it. That, and it was a polite way of addressing him and with the amount of respect he had for him, he tended to be extremely cognizant of his manners around him.

“I can tell.” His headmaster knelt down across from him and then joined him in stretching. He placed his feet against Tao’s and reached for his hands to help him stretch forward. “It is very important that you stretch your back, Taozi. I remember the last time you injured it, and I do not want it to happen again.”

Tao nodded and let his headmaster pull him forward. They soon finished stretching and Tao stood and threw a few punches and kicks to the air while his headmaster walked to the other side of the room to get the hand pads. He was anxious to get rid of some of his stress.

He briefly thought of Kris and how he had ended up in his room last night, and felt his face warm. His headmaster gave him a strange look as he walked towards him and held up his hands with the pad on them. “Are you okay? You look a little red in the face.”

Tao blushed even more. “I just remembered something embarrassing that’s all.” He bounced on his feet waiting for his headmaster to tell him what exercises he wanted him to do.”

His headmaster nodded and got into position. “Chop kick, spinning chop kick, for warm ups. And then after that we’re going to do spinning back heel kick, turn, spinning back heel kick.”

Tao slid his left leg behind him as he geared up for his chop kicks. His foot connected with the pad with a loud smack and his headmaster hardly moved from the impact. His face remained stoic as Tao spun on the balls of his feet to complete the first combination. His other foot collided with the pad with another resounding _smack_ and Tao brought his foot back down gracefully. He glanced at his headmaster waiting for the almost imperceptible nod before he reset his stance and repeated the combination.

A few hours later, Tao finished every combination his headmaster wanted him to do and more. He was assigned one hundred jumping back kicks and that had taken him almost an hour to complete. By the time he had finished them, he was then told to work on his endurance and had to complete fifty rounds of the practice room, only doing skipping side kicks clockwise and then more jumping back kicks counter clockwise. Those had taken the majority of his time. He did not mind having to do those two particular kicks because they were his most inconsistent of all his kicks so the more practice, the better.

He slowly lowered himself to his knees and folded his hands on his lap as he closed his eyes. Meditation was one of his favorite aspects of his practice. He enjoyed the feeling of utter calm washing over him while he slowed his heart rate and breathing. He let his mind wander while his breathing calmed and then focused making it blank. It was the part that took the most time for him. It meant that he had to ignore all of his senses and all form of stimulation. It took years to master and he had only mastered it recently.

He took a deep breath as his mind slowly went blank. Not a single thought went through his head. In fact, he was completely unaware of the sweat dripping down his body and the way his shirt clung to his skin. Nor was he aware of the fact that his phone was ringing and Yixing was calling him to ask what he wanted from the store. He was completely unaware of the world outside of him. It was only when he began to fall into the second step of meditation, that he heard the gentle clicking of his headmaster typing on his computer from his office. Or the rustling of the leaves outside. He was able to hear the sound of his own calm breathing and the relaxed beating of his heart.

He was still not thinking, but he was aware. He breathed in deeply once more as complete calm washed over him and snapped his eyes open. A small smile danced at the edges of his lips and he stood slowly, his muscles protesting slightly. He shook out his legs and walked over to grab his staff.

Staff training was his ultimate favorite part of his art.He gripped it lightly and began twirling it in sideways eights to warm up. After warming up, he began practicing the form that went with it. A form was a make-believe fight, in which the person pretended they were fighting someone else and they had to attack and defend themselves. There were different forms for each weapon, and the one for the staff was elegant and full of quick flurries and flicks of the wrist.

Tao melted into his form and it was as if his feet never touched the ground. His staff was no longer a piece of carved wood, it was an extension of his body. He and it were one. He brushed it against the floor gracefully as if he were sweeping someone’s feet from under them and ended the form with it poised above an imaginary foe. His breathing was labored, but he smiled brightly and then bowed.

His headmaster clapped from the doorway. “It’s beginning to look more and more like second nature. Before you know it, you’ll be able to do it in your sleep, Taozi.”

Tao beamed and bowed to his headmaster. “Thank you, sir.” He sighed happily and then glanced at the clock on the wall. “Oh there’s a thing I have to go to.”

His headmaster regarded him suspiciously. “A thing?”

Tao blushed, “I have a new project that I’m working on for my painting class, and I was going to ask someone if they wanted to be the subject of it.”

“Someone?” HIs headmaster pressed.

“Kris. The star basketball player. We’re uh, doing a segment on athletes, and I think he’ll be a great model.” Tao lied. In fact he still did not know what he wanted to do for his project. All he knew was that Yixing was his partner and they still needed an idea.

“Oh, well practice is over, so you’re free to go.” His headmaster grinned.

Tao bit his lip. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure, Taozi, what would you like to know?”

Tao watched as his headmaster walked over to him and clapped a hand on his shoulder. He cleared his throat. “Um, well you see, um...”

“You want to know if I approve of a relationship between  the two of you, right?” His headmaster had an uncanny way of seeing right through him.

Tao gaped and then slowly nodded. “Yes. I mean, there’s something dark about him that keeps pulling me back to him and I don’t know what it is, but I want to.”

His headmaster nodded and squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. “Well, we all have our secrets, Taozi. If the time comes, he’ll tell you, now go and do that _thing_.” He laughed and gave Tao a gentle push.

Tao beamed and and quickly pulled on his shoes and grabbed his belongings. He had to shower and then go work on the project with Yixing. Speaking of Yixing, Tao glanced at his phone and saw the message from him telling him that he went by the art supply store on campus and picked up what they needed. He also mentioned that he had an idea.

 

~*~

 

Kris got out of his car and scanned the shops in front of him. He spotted a Starbucks and made a beeline towards it. He was still feeling drained of energy. He knew in the back of his mind it was withdrawal effects, but he ignored the voice. He was trying to get clean ever since the break up and had only used the steroids once recently. In fact the other day, when he bought the supply for the team members that did use them on a regular basis, he did not have the urge to even use one of them.

He entered the Starbucks and ordered a mocha and waited for his order to be finished. His mind wandered back to Tao and he sighed.  He pulled out his phone and sent him a quick message.

**1:47pm: Hey, what are you up to?**

He slid his phone back in his pocket and grabbed his drink. It was hot enough to cause discomfort when he held it, so he took it with him as he looked for the nearest grocery store. He needed to find almond oil and honey, as well as a few more things he could easily make, since he was not the best cook, and he was tired of eating out every night.

Tao replied a little more than an hour later when Kris was exasperatedly searching for almond oil in the third grocery store.

**2:53pm: Sorry I just got your message...I’m working on a project rn...did you want to do something?**

Kris blinked and sighed. He did not want to take Tao away from his project, but he was terribly bored. He scanned the shelf and his face lit up the moment he found what he was looking for and he quickly headed towards the checkout area. He finally decided that he would make plans with Tao for some time in the evening.

**3:01pm: Yeah, meet me at my dorm around 6ish**

Tao responded immediately.

**3:01pm: K, see you then! :)**

Kris stared at the message and tried to ignore the little flutter his heart did when he saw the smiley. It was only a smiley after all, and so that meant nothing.

Tao showed up twenty minutes after six with a flushed face. He was wearing a simple black shirt and gray jeans that hugged his well sculpted legs. Kris could not help but ogle him when he walked through the door. He cleared his throat and tried not to watch as Tao bent over to unlace his boots. “Um, I’ll be ready in a few minutes, so don’t take off your shoes.”

Tao froze and began re-lacing them. “Oh, we’re going somewhere?”

Kris glanced over at Tao and his breath hitched as he made eye contact with him. The look of excitement danced in his eyes and it made Kris’s heart squeeze involuntarily. “Yeah, I have somewhere in mind.”

 

~*~

 

When they pulled up to the art museum Tao gave Kris a strange look. He had noticed that there was a lot of traffic headed towards the bar across the street and thought they were headed there. He was going to ask Kris what they were doing but Kris was already walking around the front of the car to open his door.

Tao couldn’t help but feel slightly embarrassed when Kris opened his door and held out a hand. He placed his hand gingerly in Kris’s and let him help him out of the car. He watched as Kris shut the door and bit his lip. “What are we doing here?”

Kris simply held out his arm in response and Tao stared at him causing Kris to grab his hand and tuck it in the crook of his arm before they started walking towards the entrance. Tao glanced over across the street once more and then back at their location. A part of him wanted to see what was happening at the bar, but he was also curious as to what Kris had planned as well.

They entered the museum and soft tinkling music was playing in the background. The air smelled like tapestry and floor cleaning products, but also pleasant. It was a little too warm for Tao’s comfort, but he could deal with that. He glanced up at Kris and then straight ahead when he made eye contact with him. He could not ignore the bolt of electricity that coursed through him as a result of Kris’s gaze.

Kris lead him to the back of the museum and into a private room. Tao frowned slightly as he waited for his eyes to adjust to the dim lighting, but he soon realized where they were. They were in the newest display room that was not set to open for another week. Tao balked at Kris. “We can’t be in here!”

Kris smiled. “I already took care of everything. Wait here while I finish the setup.” He pulled out a lighter and lit the small candles surrounding a small comforter spread out in the middle of the room.

Tao felt chills run up and down his spine and shivered. This was the nicest thing anyone had ever done for him. No one besides Yixing knew that he was excited to see this display room. It could only be viewed in low lighting because of the special ink that was used to create the pictures themselves. He had waited nearly a year for this room to be done and had planned to take Yixing with him when it opened the next week. He gaped at all of the works of art.

They were borderline fluorescent and were extremely detailed. Every line was a different shade and each picture looked as if painstaking effort went into them. His jaw dropped as he gazed at a spectacular rendition of Dante’s Inferno, in the various glowing colors. It looked unearthly and incredibly unique. The circles of Hell grew steadily more red as it neared the point at the end. Each of the sins was more gruesome than the last and yet it looked beautiful.

On the other end of the spectrum, was a beautiful interpretation of the ceiling in the great churches of the Vatican. A faint golden yellow surrounded the angels and the clouds were outlined with a ethereal blue hue.

Tao jumped when Kris’s hands lightly touched his shoulders. He turned to him with an expression that was a mixture of awe and thanks and whispered. “Thank you.”

Kris grinned and steered him towards the scarlet comforter in the center and gently pushed him down and sat next to him. “I don’t know much about art,” he gestured at the exhibits.  “But since the last time, I did all the talking, I wanted to get to know you a little better.”

Tao gaped at him, his voice seeming to have failed him as he was overwhelmed with emotions. He blinked a few times and took a deep breath. “How did you know?”

Kris smiled. “I have my connections.” He reached into a small picnic basket Tao had failed to notice before and pulled out two glasses and a bottle of sparkling cider. “Driving later, so no alcohol.” He chuckled as he uncorked the bottle. It fizzed but did not spill over. He poured a glass for Tao first and then himself. Then he reached back into the basket and removed two large containers. “I’m not a great cook, not by a landslide, but I did my best.”

Tao could no longer hold back his emotions and he found himself hugging Kris. “Thank you, again.”

Kris laughed and slid his arms around Tao’s waist. “You’re welcome. I didn’t know you’d be so happy about this.” He turned to look at him in the eyes and froze.

Tao’s eyes were glistening and his lips were slightly parted. He gazed at Kris, who was having a very visible inner battle within himself, and inched closer, until their noses almost touched. His arms were still around Kris’s shoulders and he let them drop until his hands were pressed lightly against his chest. He could feel his heart beating rapidly beneath his palm, and the scent of his spicy cologne intoxicated him. He looked back up from his hand to Kris with hooded eyes.

Kris’s breath hitched and he pressed his forehead against Tao’s and gazed at him. His fingers gently brushed a few strands of Tao’s onyx colored hair aside. He caressed his cheek with his thumb and then pulled away.

Tao wished he knew what caused Kris to pull away so suddenly. He clenched his hand into a fist and forced himself not feel offended. Yet, he could not help but feel as though it was his fault. He was moving too fast for Kris it seemed. He repressed a sigh and then forced a cheery smile in order to answer Kris’s earlier question. “I’ve been waiting for this exhibit to open for a year.”

“Really? A whole year?” Kris asked, not meeting Tao’s gaze as he opened the containers and pulled out two plates. He began serving them both and avoided Tao’s gaze the entire time.

Tao was beginning to feel a little agitated, but he pushed it down and accepted the plate of food gratefully. “Yeah. I heard about it when I first started coming here, and it sounded amazing. I was actually planning on taking my roommate to the grand opening...” He trailed off.

Kris glanced at him. “Oh I hope I didn’t ruin anything by bringing you here tonight.”

Tao shook his head. “No, I’m glad you did. In fact this was the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me, so thank you again.”

Kris glanced over at a painting on the wall. “Well, Mr. Art Major, would you mind explaining to me what that one is supposed to mean?”

Tao nodded and began explaining every work of art to Kris. He took a short break as he spoke to eat the meal. It was nowhere near as good as Yixing’s cooking, but it was not half bad either. It tasted a little bland, but he didn’t let that faze him.

When they finished eating, Kris put the plates back in the basket and leaned back, his hands placed behind him and gasped. Tao followed his gaze and his jaw dropped. On the ceiling was the Milky Way, in all its glory, glowing faintly. It looked exactly how the pictures from the internet had shown him before, only the otherworldly glow made it seem as if they were actually looking up at the night sky.

Tao let his arms slide out from beneath him and stared up at the ceiling. He glanced over as Kris did the same. He was hyper aware of the fact that their hands were nearly touching and he wanted to grab Kris’s hand.

As if he read his mind, Kris slid his hand atop Tao’s and gripped it softly. Tao looked over at him, but Kris was staring at the ceiling. Tao did the same and then whispered, “I’ve never seen anything so beautiful.”

“Neither have I.” Kris responded, a deeper meaning was hidden in those words.

Tao glanced over and saw Kris hastily look back to the ceiling. He felt his cheeks grow warm and a small smile formed on his face. He could lay there forever, staring up at the glowing glimpse of space above them.

Kris suddenly sat up, “It’s getting late...” he trailed off when he met Tao’s gaze.

“A few more minutes?” Tao asked.

Kris continued to stare at him and slowly sank to his elbows. “Okay, but I want to try something.” He got to his knees and crawled around, blowing out the candles. He then laid back down, closer to Tao than he was before and looked up.

Tao stared in awe and when he turned to look at Kris, their noses brushed again. He froze and flicked his gaze from Kris’s lips to his eyes several times. He suddenly felt Kris’s fingers tuck his hair back and heard the shaky breath he drew. “Kris?”

Kris pursed his lips and ran his hand down Tao’s arm. “Yes?”

“What are you doing?” Tao closed his eyes. He wanted to focus on the caress of Kris’s fingers and the warmth that radiated off of him.

Kris pulled away again and sat up. “I don’t know. I’m sorry.”

Tao frowned and sat up as well. He watched as Kris began packing the candles silently. “You don’t have to be sorry.”

Kris looked back at Tao and smiled sadly at him. “I know.”

 

They left and soon Tao found himself crawling into his own bed. He had already told Yixing of the night’s events and was now feeling particularly tired. He had fun, but he still wished the night had ended better than the awkward hug they shared outside of Tao’s dorm. He could still feel the ghost of Kris’s fingers on his skin as he fell asleep.

 

~*~

 

Kris had another strange message on his phone from an unknown number.

**2:32am: You should have kissed him**

Kris stared at the word _kissed_ and sighed. He wanted to so badly, but he felt as though he would be soiling Tao with all his imperfections. He did not want to feel guilty anymore, and yet, every time he saw the look on his face, he wanted to kiss him senseless. He rubbed his eyes with the base of his palms and flopped back on his pillows. He had messed up once again. His screen lit up and he reached for it blindly. It was another message from the unknown number.

**2:35am: Invite him to one of your games. You won’t regret it.**

Kris wondered briefly, who the strange person was, but judging from tonight’s response from Tao, he figured that this mystery person was giving great advice. He set a reminder in his phone to ask Tao to come to one of his games, once he woke up.

He closed his eyes and sighed. He hoped he would say yes.

 

 

 

 


	7. Bad Intentions (Gravity pt. 2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas everyone! Or Happy Holidays~

“Mmm, yes, just like that.” Kai moaned as he closed his eyes. The warm wet mouth closing over him, engulfing him whole, while hands gripped his thighs was almost enough to bring him over the edge. He rocked his hips upwards and panted as the head bobbed up and down beneath the sheets. “Kyungsoo.” He groaned and the sensation stopped as he was released and a curious face popped up from the sheet.

“Who’s that?” The person asked.

“No one. Get back down there.” Kai growled and pushed his newest fling back under the sheets. His fling picked up right where he left off and soon Kai was writhing in pleasure. His hands gripping the sides of his bed and his back arching upwards. He threw his head back, moaning once more, “Kyungsoo!”

Again his fling stopped. “Okay, that’s the second time. Who is this Kyungsoo person?”

Kai shook his head. “No one, he’s no one. Just finish, I’m so close.” He felt his toes curl and his breath catching as a heated pressure increased. He canted his hips and keened, his eyes screwed shut and his body tense. He was so close. “Oh God!” He screamed as the pressure became almost unbearable. He glanced down as was met by dark eyes and a head of deep red hair. His vision faded and instead he was looking at the doe-like eyes of Kyungsoo as his tiny hands aided his mouth in giving Kai pleasure. He watched as he slowly released him, a trail of saliva the only connection before he smirked and resumed pleasuring him once more. “Ah! Kyungsoo!” It was more of a whine than a moan that escaped him as he came.

He flopped back, panting and trembling from the aftershock as his fling quickly got off his bed. “That was the third time. I’m out. Clearly you would rather this Kyungsoo guy be here than me.”

Kai ignored him and closed his eyes once more imagining Kyungsoo in place of his fling.

The guy scoffed. “Just like they say, huh? Whatever.” He quickly dressed himself and slammed the door on his way out.

Kai stared at his ceiling. It was the first person he mistakenly called Kyungsoo. He glanced at his phone and checked the date. Today was the day of the concert. He had to get Kyungsoo in his arms by the end of the night or he would go crazy. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. He still had a few hours before dawn. He knew he wanted to take a shower, but that would require getting up and he was not feeling up to that. He wanted to sleep off the endorphins before class today. He would have two opportunities to woo Kyungsoo and he wanted to make every second count.

He glanced over to his phone and contemplated calling Luhan. In the end he simply texted him, telling him about how his fling walked out on him. He could not exactly blame the guy, but it still irked him that he was left behind instead of kicking him out.

He sighed and rolled out of bed. He could not fall asleep, especially not with his mind racing and coming up with ideas of how he could make Kyungsoo swoon over him. He stared at his sheets and stripped them from the bed, balling them up, and tossing them in the corner. He’d wash them after the concert. Right now, he wanted to start preparing for class.

After his shower, Kai curled up on the sofa once more and briefly scanned the notes that Kyungsoo had left him. He wanted to impress him in class today. He figured the only way he could do that was to cook something amazing. He gently placed the notes back on his coffee table and padded over to his desk where his laptop lay. Turning it on, he tapped his fingers on the desk, briefly wondering how Kyungsoo ended up liking Wings of Fire. He shrugged his shoulders, as someone who was constantly judged by others, he knew that appearances did not always tell the whole story.

He had about two hours before class when he finally found the perfect recipe. He sent it to his phone and then turned off his laptop. Whistling softly to himself, he settled on his sofa and turned on the television. There was an advertisement for various Black Friday sales at local shops and malls. Kai wondered briefly what he would be doing for Thanksgiving this year. He knew he would not be spending it with his family. They never did that. Somehow his parents always had some type of job overseas and his own siblings were so caught up in their own lives, he was often forgotten.

He usually spent Thanksgiving with Luhan, so he figured that, that would be the plan. It was about a week away anyways, and Kai was not too pressed about it. He scoffed as the camera panned to a happy family laughing and smiling at the dinner table and turned off the television. A strange feeling came over him, but he squashed it down. He did not have time to let his thoughts linger on family. He had to find the perfect outfit to make Kyungsoo’s jaw drop.

He rummaged through his closet and finally settled on a pair of black skinny jeans, a black coat to go over a patterned shirt, and a pair of black converses. There was a silver chain that hung from one of his belt loops and connected to another one in the back. It jingled slightly when he walked. He turned and examined his full appearance, before adding a small amount of product to his hair as he ran his fingers through it. It was slightly swept over to the right side of his face, leaving part of his forehead visible. It made him look quite dapper and he raised his eyebrow at his reflection. He was going to turn heads in the hall.  

A smirk quirked his lips and he searched his room for a thick studded black bracelet and tugged it over his hand and onto his wrist. He nodded and grabbed his backpack. He was halfway out of the door when his phone rang from his room. He chuckled and ran back to get it.

“Hello?”

“You _like_ him!” Luhan teased on the other end.

“Shut up. I’m only in this for the plan.” Kai mumbled. He could hardly ignore the way his heart fluttered.

“Jongin and Kyungsoo, sitting in a tree-” Luhan began singing, but Kai hung up and shoved his phone into his pocket.

There were times when he wanted to push Luhan off a cliff, and this was one of those. He did not really like Kyungsoo the way Luhan was insinuating. Sure he wanted to screw his brains out, but he did not _like_ him. At least that was what he told himself as he walked to class.

Students’ jaws dropped when he walked past them. Whispers could be heard all around him. Kai smirked. If Kyungsoo was not putty in his hands by the end of class, then it seemed as though he had met his match. Of course his pride would not let him give up, he would simply take another approach to get that angelic looking classmate of his in his room.

 

~*~

 

Kyungsoo yawned as he stretched, reaching his arms towards the ceiling. He had about an hour before class. He slid out of his bed, scrunching his toes in the carpet when they touched the floor, and yawned again. He vaguely remembered having a strange dream about Kai asking him to meet up with him at the concert.

_The concert._

Kyungsoo’s eyes widened as it dawned on him that it was not a dream. Today was the day of the concert and he was going to be there with Kai. His heart was ramming in his chest. He could not even fathom how he’d be able to handle being with him there. It would be crowded and hot and loud. They would probably be squashed, or even worse they would touch each other. Kyungsoo shook his head, trying to erase the thought of his skin coming into contact with Kai’s. But instead, his face warmed at the thought.

_‘What is wrong with me?’_ He thought to himself as he repressed the urge to jump out of his skin. He glanced around his room and his eyes landed on his closet. He remembered that he only had one class today and that was the cooking class. He would see Kai there. His palms began to sweat as he reached up for a pale yellow button down shirt. He slipped on a pair of dark washed jeans and buttoned the shirt to his liking. In his reflection on the mirror, his face was slightly pale. He patted his cheeks to bring some color to them and tugged at the sleeves.

He still had about forty minutes until class and he had the sudden urge to get more information on the school’s prized possession. There was only one guy who could provide him with such information though, and that person was Kim Jongdae.

Kyungsoo grabbed his backpack and headed out the door quietly. He knew that tonight would be a late night for Chanyeol, so he did not want to wake him. He briskly made his way to Jongdae’s dorm.

Once he was there he slowly sat down on the chair Jongdae gestured towards. “Um, so can you help me with something?”

Jongdae continued furiously typing on his computer. The screen was black except for the lines upon lines of code that were scrolling rapidly. “What exactly do you need?”

Kyungsoo stared at his feet, “I need information on someone.” He felt strange for asking Jongdae to do this. It felt as if he was violating part of Kai’s life, but knowing that he could hardly be around him without wanting to either punch him in the face or kiss him, he had no other choice. His face blanched at the thought of kissing Kai. He knew he wanted to, because he was attractive, but at the same time, Kyungsoo was extremely inexperienced. Having never dated anyone in his entire life, kind of left him with limited knowledge of things of that nature. Besides, his first kiss was rather uneventful. A simple peck on the lips at a birthday party he went to as a child. He could not even remember who he had kissed. Each one after that ended up being just as lack luster.

“Who?” Jongdae asked, breaking Kyungsoo from his thoughts.

“Kai - erm, Kim Jongin.” He whispered. He could hardly swallow the feeling of intrusion.

He pulled up a page on Kai and then grinned. “Oh, so you have a plan too?” Jongdae swiveled in his chair and looked at Kyungsoo.

“A plan?” Kyungsoo furrowed his brows.

“Yeah, Kai has this plan to get in your pants by next week. He thinks that you’ll cave in any second now.” He shrugged. “So you have one too?”

Kyungsoo’s jaw dropped. “He wants to do what?!”

Jongdae grinned. “He wants to,” he paused for emphasis, “get in your pants. You know, bump uglies, do the deed, make the beast with two backs, that kind of stuff. It’s kind of like a bet that he made with himself, I asked to get in on it, but he said no.” He shrugged again.

A cold chill ran down Kyungsoo’s back. He could not believe that Kai would do such a thing. Well, he could, but he was trying to see the ‘good’ that Kai had, not the ‘bad’ which everyone seemed to talk about. Suddenly he felt eerily calm and as much as he wanted to feel offended by the fact that Kai had come to Jongdae earlier in order to get information on him so he could jump his bones, he was strangely pleased by the fact. The most attractive person at the school had a thing for him, and that strangely electrified him. Although he was not too fond of the idea of being a one night stand. He figured that Kai could use a taste of his own medicine. If everything he had said had been part of some plan to get Kyungsoo in his bed, then Kyungsoo would play along.

Kyungsoo smirked. Oh, he had a plan alright. He was going to make Kai think that he had him wrapped around his finger. Then, at the last moment, he would pull back. After all, a guy with his reputation could use a blow to the ego. He had never done anything like this before and yet he was eager to put it into action. The precious gem of the school was going to be knocked down a few notches and it would be at the hand of Kyungsoo. A small part of him knew it was wrong, but this was college, and after all, everyone experiments in college.

“Actually, I do have a plan, thank you.” He turned on his heel and walked out Jongdae’s door.

“Wait! Didn’t you want information on him?” Jongdae called after Kyungsoo.

Kyungsoo smiled ruefully, Kai was about to get a rude awakening. He chuckled. Class was going to be interesting.

 

 

~*~

 

Kai arrived to class a few minutes late. He had been checking out his reflection in the bathroom mirror to make sure that he looked as flawless as he felt and lost track of time. He burst through the doors and scrambled to his seat after shooting Ms. Jin an apologetic look, but she simply stared at him slack jawed. Kai smirked and glanced over to see Kyungsoo blatantly checking him out. He mentally patted himself on the back and raised an eyebrow at Kyungsoo.

Kyungsoo quickly looked away and stared at his hands, a small smile on his face. Kai’s smirk deepened. He knew this outfit would make him irresistible. He raised his hand and asked a slightly dazed Ms. Jin, “What are we doing today?”

She snapped out of her trance and cleared her throat. “Today we will be starting with the formal lessons.” She turned on her heel, her knee length black skirt swirled, and pointed to the screen at the front of the room. She picked up the remote that was sitting on her desk and pressed a button. The screen went from blank to a live streaming video of the station at the front of the classroom. She walked over to the station and placed her hands on either side of the medium sized stainless steel bowl. “We shall start with baking Dos and Don’ts!” She smiled warmly at Kai. “First lesson: flour cannot be substituted with confectioner’s sugar.”

Kai groaned and rolled his eyes. “Seriously? I made that mistake last class, can’t we just forget about it?”

Kyungsoo snickered and covered his mouth with his hands. Kai glanced at him and sighed. He was a pauper among royalty in this room. His level of expertise was in the negatives, whereas Ms. Jin and Kyungsoo were past the thousands.

Ms. Jin laughed, “Kai, it’s only once in a blue moon, that I get a mistake as unique as yours. We’ll let you live it down, eventually.”

Kai grumbled under his breath and pouted. He was not too fond of being made fun of, but he had to  take it in stride because she was his teacher after all.

They spent the rest of class watching her work at the front station, her hands displayed on the screen behind her so that they could watch closely as she kneaded and rolled the dough to make simple homemade sugar cookies. By the time class was half over, the room was filled with the sweet aroma and Kai’s stomach was growling loudly.

Kai decided he had had enough of sitting at his seat, away from Kyungsoo, and dragged his stool over to him. “I can’t see from my side of the classroom.” He muttered as he scooted closer to Kyungsoo, who blushed and stared straight ahead.

Ms. Jin gave him a strange look and continued explaining the basics of baking from the power point she was using. A few slides later, she turned to face Kai and Kyungsoo. “Since we are only baking desserts today, I am going to stop here.” She suddenly grinned and walked over to her desk, her heels clacking, and pulled out a sheet of paper. “Kai, pick a number between one and one hundred.”

Kai gaped at her for a few seconds and then cleared his throat. “Um, thirty three.” He watched as her grin widened. “Wait, what are we going to do?”

“Since you picked an odd number, I am going to blindfold you.” She pulled out a pink strip of cloth with ducks printed on it. “We are going to try an activity called: Blind Cooking!”

“What a creative name.” Kai rolled his eyes. “So you’re going to blindfold me and then what?”

Her smile was almost manic by this point. “Kyungsoo is going to control your hands while you two make your own batch of cookies.”

“What?!” Kyungsoo sprang up from his seat, his face three shades redder than it had been before. “I can’t do that!”

Kai smirked. “Are you afraid of me?”

Kyungsoo glared at him. “No! I just...fine. I’ll do it.” He reached for the blindfold and Ms. Jin handed it to him, giggling quietly.

“You’re going to thank me for this later.” She whispered as she walked back to her desk.

Kai glanced at Kyungsoo, who was staring at the blindfold in his hands. “What was that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing.” He held up the blindfold. “Lean down so I can reach you.”

Kai leaned down slightly and let Kyungsoo tie the blindfold over his eyes. Without his sense of sight, he was hyper aware of every sound. He could hear Kyungsoo rummaging beneath him in the cabinet for a mixing bowl and the other supplies. He heard him slam the ingredients on the table and mutter under his breath. He expected him to try to get out of touching him, but was extremely surprised when Kyungsoo pressed his body against his and reached around him to grab his hands.

His breath hitched and he was consumed by thoughts of turning around and switching their roles, only with a twist: they’d both be naked. He knew these types of thoughts were going to bite him in the ass, so he forced himself to focus on something else, but it was too hard.

He could feel the baby soft skin of Kyungsoo’s small hands guiding his own as he fitted an egg into his hand. He lowered his hand swiftly and Kai heard and felt the egg crack. It was a strange sensation to feel the gooeyness of the raw egg slid through his fingers, but not be able to see it. Once again, his mind took it to a dirtier place. “Hey, Kyungsoo, a little warning would be nice.”

“Oh, okay.” Kyungsoo mumbled. His hands tightened around Kai’s and he narrated what he was going to do next. “I’m going to crack another egg, okay?”

“Alright.” Kai let his hands be lead through each process and with each moment that ticked by, he could have sworn that he could feel Kyungsoo’s erratically beating heart as he pressed against him from behind.

Kyungsoo sighed and placed the mixer in Kai’s hand. “I going to mix everything now, keep your grip steady.” Kai nodded and felt the vibrations travel up his arm as Kyungsoo flipped the switch on.

The soft hum of the mixer filled the otherwise silent room. Kai wondered if they were alone. “Ms. Jin?”

There was no answer.

Kai grinned. “Kyungsoo, where did Ms. Jin go?”

Kyungsoo made a small sound at the back of his throat. “I don’t know, now, let’s focus on this, we’re almost done. All we have to do after this is shape the cookies and put them in the oven.”

Kai reached for the switch on the mixer and turned it off. He lifted the blindfold and before Kyungsoo could react, he tied it over his eyes. “I’m sure I can handle the rest, so we’re going to switch places.”

Kyungsoo’s jaw popped open. “We’re not supposed to do that.”

Kai shrugged his shoulders. “She never said we couldn’t and besides, she’s not even in here.” He turned Kyungsoo around and put the mixer in his hands. “I’m going to turn it on, just relax, I promise I won’t cut your finger off or anything.”

He slowly lowered the mixer before switching it on and took a huge amount of joy at the tiny squeak that Kyungsoo made when he pressed his body against him. He could feel Kyungsoo tensing in front of him, but it only made him smirk more. The position reminded him of the concert, or rather what he’d rather be doing _after_ the concert. He leaned down and whispered in his ear, “So where do you want to meet for the concert?”

Kyungsoo froze and sputtered. “Um, I, um..”

Kai brought his lips close enough to caress Kyungsoo’s ear, “What? Cat got your tongue?”

Kyungsoo’s face reddened and he heard the small gasp escape his lips. “No.” He turned around and ripped the blindfold off. He glared at Kai and pushed him back a few steps. “And neither will you!” He clamped his hands over his mouth and then corrected himself. “I mean, I’ll text you when I get there?”

Kai frowned slightly. “Okay then.” He walked over to Kyungsoo and placed both hands on either side of him on the table. He leaned down and ghosted his lips over Kyungsoo’s. “I can’t wait to see you there.” He purred.

Kyungsoo swallowed nervously and wet his lips. “Me either.” He whimpered.

Kai grinned and tilted his head, as if he was going to kiss him, but Ms. Jin burst through the doors.

“Alright, that’s enough torture for Kyung- oh... _Oh!_ ” She locked eyes with Kai and then flicked her gaze to the half blindfolded Kyungsoo. “I see there was a change of plans.”

Kai laughed as Kyungsoo quickly pulled the blindfold the rest of the way off his head and sputter. Kai clapped a hand on his shoulder and grinned slyly. “Turns out that Kyungsoo has a thing for being manhandled.”

“I do not!” Kyungsoo whirled around and pushed Kai back futilely.

Ms. Jin’s face reddened and she slowly walked over to her desk and sat down. She looked from Kai to Kyungsoo several times before sighing. “I think that’s enough for today. Class dismissed.”

Kai nodded lightly tapped Kyungsoo’s chin. “See you at the concert!” He did not wait for Kyungsoo’s reaction as he grabbed his backpack and left the classroom. He could not believe how well class had gone. At this rate, but the end of the concert, Kyungsoo would be right where he wanted him.

 

 

~*~

 

“Kyungsoo? Can I talk to you for a second?” Ms. Jin asked, her gaze not meeting his as she shuffled her papers on her desk.

Kyungsoo was seething. He could not believe Kai. He wanted to get back at him for that comment. The more he thought of it, the easier it was for him to ignore the fact that he was beyond overjoyed to do that activity. There was something about the way Kai acted when he was blindfolded that he liked. It made him vulnerable and more human to him. Of course, he would never tell anyone that, in fact he was not even sure he wanted to tell himself that. He took a few deep breaths before he walked over to Ms. Jin’s desk. “Yes?”

“I’m waiting.” She looked up at him expectantly.

“For what?” Kyungsoo tugged at his sleeves.

“For you to say ‘thank you’, because I know you want to.” Her grin was too knowing.

“Um, how about no.” Kyungsoo stared at her.

“Oh come on! You enjoyed yourself, I’m sure that if I hadn’t interrupted, something interesting might have happened.” She smiled up at him.

Kyungsoo frowned. “Why do you care so much?”

Her smile faltered. “Because I see the way you look at him. Trust me, I know how it feels.”

“Oh. Well, then, thank you.” Kyungsoo smiled. “But, I still don’t like him.” He reached for the door.

“Sure you don’t!” She called after him.

Kyungsoo was no more than two steps out the door when he felt his phone vibrate.

**11:50am: Can’t wait for the concert, Soo! :D**

_‘Soo? Who gave him permission to give me a nickname?!’_ Kyungsoo stared at the message before sending his reply, which was full of smileys and exclamation points. If Kai wanted him to act like he was completely smitten, then he would.

He arrived at his dorm shortly after and found Chanyeol still deep in sleep. Feeling a wave of exhaustion roll over him, he yawned and padded to his room after dropping his backpack on the sofa. He kicked off his shoes halfway through the common room and told himself that he’d put them by the door once he woke up.

It was only noon, and the concert started at eight, so he could afford a couple of hours of rest. Besides, his plan was draining him. He was not used to lying to people’s faces, and Kai was not an exception. Although, he had to admit he was enjoying himself. Stringing Kai along, like he had done to so many people before, was turning out to be easier than he thought. Especially since Kai had this elaborate plan that he thought was working.

Kyungsoo chuckled as he slid under his sheets, wiggling his body until he was situated. He reached for his phone and set an alarm to wake him up three hours before the concert and then pulled his blankets up to his chin. Rolling over on his side, he stared at the wall until his eyes began to close. Sleep overcame him in seconds.

 

 

////

 

Baekhyun bolted upright in his bed. It was exactly twelve hours until the concert, and he needed every minute to get ready. He rubbed his eyes and swung his legs over the edge of his bed. He now only had eleven hours and fifty seven minutes left. He forewent stretching and sprinted over to Sehun’s room.

“Hey! Get up! We have places to go, and things to buy, before the concert! I need a whole new outfit!” Baekhyun exploded through the door and Sehun rolled over and groaned. He shook his shoulders. “Sehun, come on! We have a full day ahead of us! I have to go to eight different stores and driving there is going to be a bitch. Get up!”

“Leave me alone, Baek, I’m tired.” Sehun pulled his covers over his head.

Baekhyun prodded him again and whined. “Come on, Sehun! I have the whole day planned out and you’re wasting my time laying here!”

Sehun stuck his head under a pillow. “Let me sleep. I’ll be ready before the concert.”

Baekhyun pouted for a few seconds and then turned on his heel. “Fine, but if you’re not ready, I’m leaving you behind. This concert is extremely special, you know.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Now, let me sleep.” Sehun threw a pillow at the door as Baekhyun shut it.

Once he was in the common room, Baekhyun quickly made his way to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. He was going to need as much energy as possible since he had a long night ahead of him. While the coffee was brewing, he quickly scurried to his room and searched his closet for something to wear to go shopping. He settled on a simple V-neck white t-shirt and pale blue pants. It was still a little nippy outside so he grabbed a cardigan and slung that over his arm.

The coffee pot dinged and he poured a cup into his thermos and called out to Sehun one last time. “I’m leaving, this is your last chance to come with me!”

There was a muffled sound of disapproval from Sehun’s room and then his door opened. A disheveled looking boy leaned against the door frame. He rubbed his eyes and yawned. “Just find something for me at the store, you know my size.”

Baekhyun narrowed his eyes at him. “Fine.”

“I’m going back to bed.” Sehun mumbled and shut his door.

Baekhyun stared at the door and pursed his lips. He wanted Sehun to go with him for that very reason. Now he was going to have to pick out an outfit for both of them. Besides, he always liked to have a second opinion on things and now he would have to rely on his own opinion. Baekhyun tapped his chin in thought. _‘What if I asked Tao to come with me? He has a great sense of style.’_

He was hit by a burst of biting air and shuddered. He pulled on his cardigan and half ran half walked towards Tao’s dorm. The thermos of coffee was the only thing keeping him remotely warm. He spotted Tao heading in the opposite direction and sprinted over to him and grabbed his arm.

“Hey come with me for a few seconds.” Baekhyun said as he looked up at Tao, praying he wouldn’t say no. He suspected that he would since he was carrying his wushu staff, but he would not let go of the tiny bit of hope he had.

“I can’t! I have practice!” Tao said, gesturing with his staff.

Baekhyun deflated. He could not think of anyone else he wanted to bring with him. He was suddenly saddened by the fact that he really did not have many friends aside from Sehun. He knew Tao well enough, but they hardly saw each other since that night. He turned on the charm and batted his eyes at Tao. “But I need your help with an outfit,” he paused and added, “and you have an artistic eye!” He knew flattery usually helped him get what he wanted, but watching Tao frown slightly, he knew he was fighting a losing battle.

“If it can wait until after practice, I can help you.” Tao said as he shook his head.

That wouldn’t do. Baekhyun bit his lip and frowned. “Never mind then.” He could not waste time, he had only eleven hours and thirty nine minutes left before the concert and he wanted everything to be perfect. He felt somewhat bad after seeing Tao’s face fall so he smiled. “But, we should hang out soon, I feel like I haven’t seen you in ages.”

“Yeah, that sounds great actually. I’ll let you know when I’m free.” Tao grinned.

Baekhyun nodded and then briskly walked in the direction of his car. His fingers felt somewhat numb even though the heat radiation from the thermos warmed his palms. He found himself wishing that he had worn something warmer, but he did not have time to go back and change.

He slid into the driver’s seat after he reached his car, and pushed his key into the ignition. He was going to have to drive for about an hour. He turned on his radio and smiled as one of Wing of Fire’s songs blasted through his speakers. He cranked up the heat to chase away the chill from his bones and set off towards the mall.

 

 

~*~

 

Chanyeol slid out of bed and stood up slowly. He stared at his reflection, not quite recognizing his reflection and grinned. Today was the day of their ‘Thank You’ concert and he could not wait. He padded over to his closet found forest green sleeveless shirt and a pair of deep gray skinny jeans. He quickly got dressed and ran his fingers through his hair several times to make it look less like he just rolled out of bed.

He decided that it was time to wake up Kyungsoo and shuffled over to his room. He knocked lightly on his door and pushed it open. “Kyungsoo?” He whispered.

Kyungsoo snored softly and shifted under his blankets.

Chanyeol smiled warmly at him as he strode over to him and then knelt down by his bed. He gently shook Kyungsoo awake. “Hey sleeping beauty, get up.” He said barely above a hushed whisper.

Kyungsoo opened one eye slowly and then snapped up. “Did I miss it? Please tell me I didn’t miss it! What time is it?” He frantically looked around his room for his clock.

Chanyeol snickered. “Relax, it’s only three o’clock. I just wanted to wake you up before I left for rehearsal.”

Kyungsoo breathed a sigh of relief and smiled in embarrassment. “Okay good. I was afraid I overslept.” He pushed his blankets off of him and stared down at Chanyeol. “Um, what exactly do I wear to a concert?”

“What do you mean?” Chanyeol cocked his head to the side.

“I’ve never been to a concert before...” Kyungsoo mumbled as he stared at his hands.

Chanyeol grinned. “So my band is going to be your first! And don’t worry about an outfit, just wear something comfortable.” He could not help but find Kyungsoo’s inexperience adorable and briefly wondered how he ended up with him as a roommate.

Kyungsoo chewed on his lip. “That doesn’t really help.”

Chanyeol pushed himself to his feet and clapped a hand on Kyungsoo’s shoulder. “Just wear whatever you want, trust me no one really cares that much about clothes there. Although I recommend something dark colored because you’re bound to get something spilled on you.” He walked over to the door and rested his hand on the knob.

Kyungsoo wrinkled his nose in distaste. “Spilled?”

“Yeah, it could be drinks or blood or piss or whatever. Those moshpits get pretty crazy sometimes.” Chanyeol bit back the laughter bubbling up in his throat at Kyungsoo’s wide eyed expression. He finally caved after a few seconds and burst out laughing.

Kyungsoo gaped at him. “Blood? P-pee, what? Who _pees_ on people at concerts?!”

Chanyeol continued laughing. His sides were beginning to hurt and his eyes spilled over with tears of joy. “You should see your face right now! It’s priceless!” He doubled over and slapped his knees a few times. Slowly his laughter subsided and he wiped a tear from his eye as he said, “I was joking. Although I would be careful, it can get pretty dirty out there.”

“Oh, okay good. I was going to freak out for a second there.” He paused. “So I can wear what I’m wearing right now?”

Chanyeol gave Kyungsoo a once over and shook his head. “I think you’ll need pants, unless that’s the look you’re going for.”

Kyungsoo glanced down and then looked back up with a giant smile on his face. “Look at that.” He chuckled. “I guess you’re right though, I’m going to need pants.”

Chanyeol nodded and once again reached for the door. “Alright, I need to go, wish me luck!”

Kyungsoo grinned, “Good luck! Maybe you’ll see Baekhyun at the concert! I think he’ll really like your hair.”

Chanyeol’s heart jumped at the mention of Baekhyun’s name. “God, I hope so!” His mind raced and he found himself feeling nervous about the concert. He knew that Baekhyun would be there, he just hoped that somehow he’d be able to do more than just watch him from behind his drum set.

He soon arrived at Dongmin’s apartment and rapped on the door a few times. Lin opened the door, her hair was the brightest pink he had ever seen, and it matched her equally as pink eyes.  He found himself smiling as he asked, “Are those contacts?”

Lin beamed and yelled over her shoulder. “See? He noticed!” She turned back to Chanyeol and stepped aside as he entered. “Yes, aren’t they cool?” She shut the door behind him.

Chanyeol nodded. “Yeah, they look sick! The fans will love them!”

She grinned and flounced over to the sofa where Dongmin was sitting, tapping his pen against the lyric book and mouthing the words. Chanyeol noted how he had not even looked up to greet him and immediately went to the refrigerator to grab something to drink.

He leaned against the counter and sipped the icy coke thoughtfully. His mind wandered back to Baekhyun and he felt his lips slide into a goofy grin. He sincerely hoped that Baekhyun would like his auburn hair. He was still getting used to it himself, but he liked the contrast of his dark hair against his skin. It made him look brighter, as if he had a certain glow. The effect it had on his smile was tenfold. His teeth glittered like the stars in the sky whenever he grinned and he could not wait to flash Baekhyun one.

Dongmin glanced over his shoulder, “Yo Chanyeol! You gonna join us or not?”

Chanyeol snapped back to reality and walked over to the living room and plopped down on the chair opposite Dongmin. He watched as Lin kicked her legs over the arm of her chair and threw her head back dramatically. He fought the urge to throw a pillow at her and instead cleared his throat. “So, uh, are we going to rehearse or not?”

“Yeah, give me a second, I’m trying to get these lyrics to sound right. I’m thinking of changing ‘silent screams’ to ‘silence screams your name’ but I can’t get it to flow right.” Dongmin tapped his pen against the notebook a few more times and nodded his head to a beat only audible to him.

Chanyeol walked over to him and leaned over to see the page. He scanned it quickly and frowned. “Guys, I think this is a little too graphic. We’ve never had a song like this before.”

Dongmin flicked his gaze up at him. “And your problem is?”

“We’re going to be alienating our fanbase.” Chanyeol offered.

“If they’re true fans, they’ll love us no matter what.” Dongmin challenged.

Chanyeol pursed his lips. “Besides I don’t even know how this even sounds. I’ve never practiced the drums for it.”

“Well we’re performing it tonight.” Dongmin stated.

“No we’re not.”

Dongmin scoffed. “Yes we are. Lin already knows her part and I know mine, the bass wasn’t that hard to fit to her melody. The drums shouldn’t be too different from any other song.”

“We won’t have time to perform it. We have an opening act tonight, remember?” Chanyeol stood up and paced.

Dongmin leaned back against the sofa and tossed the notebook on the cushion beside him. “We’re performing it because I said so.”

Chanyeol narrowed his eyes. “What happened to group decisions?”

“You weren’t here when I made the decision. Lin already agreed to it.” Dongmin gestured to her.

Lin sprang up and waved her hands in front of her. “Hey, leave me out of this.”

Dongmin raised an eyebrow, “Whatever. We’re performing it and that’s final.”

“We can’t! I don’t know my part!” Chanyeol yelled.

“That’s not my problem.”

Chanyeol furrowed his brows. “Of course it’s your problem! It’s our band! I don’t want to go up there and make a fool of myself.”

“Again, not my problem. If you don’t want to perform it, then don’t. We don’t need you anyways.”

“The fuck?!” Chanyeol screeched. He had absolutely no idea why Dongmin was acting the way he was. One glance at Lin told him she had no clue either as she was giving him the stank eye.

Dongmin stood up and pushed Chanyeol back. “I was thinking that you should leave the band.”

“Dongmin!” Lin jumped up and stood by Chanyeol. “What is your problem? He’s here for five minutes and you’re trying to kick him out?”

Chanyeol gave her a grateful smile and then scowled at Dongmin. “Dude, I don’t know why you don’t like me, but we’re going to have to put that aside until after the concert.”

Dongmin pushed him back again. “No, I want to get some things off my chest.”

Chanyeol crossed his arms and stood his ground. “Alright then, go ahead, I’m listening.”

“I don’t like you.”

“You don’t say!”

“I’m not finished!” Dongmin took a deep breath, his eyes steeling over. “I never liked you. I find you obnoxious and over the top and I can’t stand being in the same room as you.”

“ _I’m_ obnoxious and over the top? Dude, I have been nothing but nice to you since we started this band! It used to be just you and me in your garage!”

“I never liked you then either, I just took pity on you because I knew you would never go far in life. I mean come on, you got kicked out of five colleges in one semester. The only reason you’re here is because your parents paid off the dean of the school.”

Chanyeol glared at him. “Okay, so you don’t like me, I can deal with that. But that doesn’t mean the band has to suffer for it.”

Dongmin narrowed his eyes. “I want you out.”

“If he goes then I go.” Lin clenched her hands into fists and then stomped towards Dongmin. “I don’t know what went on between the two of you those weeks I was gone, but whatever it is, you need to get over it! Clearly, Chanyeol is over it, so it’s your turn.”

“So you’re on his side then?” Dongmin asked, his tone threatening.

“I’m on nobody’s side! I just don’t think you’re being fair.” Lin threw her hands in the air.

“Then you’re on his side. Fine, I’ll leave. Good luck finding another bassist and lead singer!” Dongmin turned on his heel and stormed to the door.

“Wait! What about the concert?” Chanyeol ran after him. “You can’t just leave right before the concert.” He grabbed Dongmin’s arm.

Dongmin ripped his arm away. “Don’t fucking touch me.” He flashed a fiery glare at Lin and growled. “I’ll stay for the concert, but after that I’m done. I have shit to take care of.”

“Hey,” Chanyeol said softly. “If this is about the kid-”

“Don’t even.” Dongmin’s lip curled into a grimace.

“I was going to say that everything will work out. It’s not like it’s yours-”

"IT IS!” He screamed and then crumpled to his knees, shoulders shaking. "It’s mine, and I don’t want it. But I can’t just leave her with it. Shit, man, I fucked up.”

Chanyeol bit his lip. At least he knew why Dongmin snapped on him. Although he still felt as though there was some truth to his words earlier. “Hey, don’t worry about it now. I’ll even practice the song so we can perform it, okay? I can’t imagine what you’re going through, but,” he glanced at Lin, who joined them by the door, “we’re here for you.”

“Yeah, I’ll even volunteer to watch the kid every now and then.” Lin rubbed circles into Dongmin’s back.

Chanyeol and Dongmin gaped at her and she grinned, “What? I like kids okay?”

“I wouldn’t let her near your child.” Chanyeol whispered into Dongmin’s ear. He chuckled and Lin pouted.

“Thanks. Listen, I’m sorry about what I said. I guess I was just angry and had to take it out on someone. You’re actually a great friend, even though I’ve been nothing but shitty to you the past few months.” Dongmin half smiled.

Chanyeol clapped him on the back, “What are friends for, if you can’t take your anger out on them from time to time?” He smiled. “Now, let’s get to rehearsing, we have a show tonight!”

 

 

~*~

 

Baekhyun sighed exasperatedly. This was the eighth store he had been in and he still had not found the choker necklace he was looking for. He glanced at his phone and scanned the rack in front of him worriedly. He had exactly three hours and forty five minutes and he still had not found the main thing he had gone out searching for in the first place. He already spent plenty of money on several pairs of skin tight skinny jeans, and two brand new Wings of Fire shirts that he planned on altering to his tastes. All he needed was the final touch and everything would be perfect.

He saw a dark gem glitter in the corner of his eye and pushed aside the assortment of bright colored rubber chokers until his delicate fingers closed around the black leather studded choker. It actually looked more like a collar than a choker, but that made him like it even more. He ran his fingers along the edge and turned it over in his hands. It was soft to the touch and not too heavy so he would not get irritated wearing it.

He was looking at his reflection in the mirror, fluffing his hair when he heard a familiar voice behind him.

“Baekhyun?” Kyungsoo tottered into the store while Baekhyun tried to duck behind the jewelry rack. “I already saw you, so you can’t hide.” He then hummed as he rounded the corner and came face to face with Baekhyun and grinned at him.

Baekhyun slowly stood up straight and tugged the choker from his neck as stealthily as he could and stared into Kyungsoo’s eyes with embarrassment. “Hi.”

Kyungsoo smiled. “What brings you here? Are you shopping for the concert?”

Baekhyun blanched. “What concert? I don’t know of any concerts! There’s a concert? Who’s playing? Oh wait, I have to go-” He glanced at his watch-less wrist and tried to scramble out of the store.

Kyungsoo grabbed a handful of his shirt and pulled him back. “You can’t fool me Baekhyun.”

Baekhyun sighed and slumped his shoulders. “Fine. Yes, I was shopping for the concert.”

“Good. Then I need your help with something! It’s related to the concert actually.” Kyungsoo clapped his hands together excitedly. His large eyes brightening with anticipation.

“How so?” Baekhyun squinted his eyes at him. He certainly did not look like the type that enjoyed concerts, let alone did anything other than cook or perhaps knit. He looked far too innocent and somewhat boring. He thought back to how he found him in the library a few days ago and nodded to himself. Kyungsoo looked like the quiet library type, not the concert type.

“Well, it’s my first time going to a concert and I wondering if you could maybe help me with an outfit or something?” Kyungsoo gazed at him with epitome of an angelic face.

“Only if you promise me something.” Baekhyun bit his lip. He could not risk letting it get out that he had an alternative lifestyle. Once people knew he went to concerts, they would soon find out about his other dark secrets, like dealing drugs, and he did not want that in the slightest.

“Sure, what is it?” Kyungsoo picked up a neon pink rubber choker and stretched it a few times before gingerly placing it back on the rack.

“You can’t tell anyone I was at the concert.” Baekhyun whispered and waited for Kyungsoo to nod. Once he did, he then smiled. “Good, now do you have any idea what you _want_ to wear? Better yet, who are you going with?”

Kyungsoo faced grew three shades redder than it was before. He barely whispered, “Kai.” Before he cleared his throat and lifted his chin and confidently said, “I’m meeting Kai there because he’s going as well and Chanyeol asked me to go.”

_‘Chanyeol? How does he know him?_ ’ Baekhyun cocked his head to the left. “Oh really? Is it a date or something?”

“I do not like him!” Kyungsoo blurted before he covered his mouth with his hands. “I mean, no, it’s not. We’re just meeting up because he practically begged me to.”

Baekhyun grinned. Kyungsoo definitely liked Kai. That was obvious, but then again, it had nothing to do with him, unless he could somehow find out how he knew Chanyeol, from him. “Begged you huh? He must like you a lot then.” Baekhyun emphasized his impressment to make Kyungsoo believe that he was indeed impressed.

“No, he only wants to get in my pants. But since I know that’s his plan, I’m letting him think that he has me wrapped around his finger and then I’m going to pull the rug from under his feet.” He clamped his hands over his mouth again. “Wait, I shouldn’t have told you that!”

Baekhyun grinned even more. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone. Think of it as my thanks to you for keeping your promise.” That seemed to ease Kyungsoo’s nervousness because he then smiled brightly.

“So what do I wear?” Kyungsoo asked, staring at the ground. “I want to look irresistible to him, to you know, tease him a bit?”

Baekhyun smirked. If it was teasing Kyungsoo needed then he came to the right person. “Oh I know exactly what you should wear.”

Kyungsoo smiled at him uncertainly and let him lead him out of the store, but not before Baekhyun bought the black leather choker for himself and some new eyeliner pencils as well as a smaller silver choker for Kyungsoo. He was going to go all out tonight, for the both of them.

 

 

~*~

 

Chanyeol slammed down on the toms one last time before finishing the song with a quick snap of his wrist on the crash cymbal. His back was drenched in sweat and his hair was plastered to his forehead, but he felt invigorated. He finally had the new song down and would be able to perform it tonight at the concert. Although there was a part in the middle he was a little unsure of, but he was the King of drum solos, so if it came down to it, he’d improvise.

Dongmin clapped from the doorway and slung an arm over Chanyeol’s shoulders once he reached him. “Dude, I don’t know how you do it, but seriously, that was tight! I think this will be our next hit!”

Lin flipped her hair over her shoulder and let out a relieved giggle. “I got a little worried there in the middle Yeolie, you kept speeding up, and I felt a little rushed, but you pulled it together at the end.”

Chanyeol grinned. “Yeah, that middle part is tricky. The beat is double syncopated, but I keep wanting to triple it. It might just be nerves though so don’t worry, I’ll count out loud during the concert if I have to.”

“Nah man, I got you. If you start speeding up I’ll signal you.” Dongmin grinned.

Lin placed her guitar in its case and then ran over and hugged both Dongmin and Chanyeol. "It’s so nice to have both of you being nice to each other!”

Dongmin pushed her off of him and whispered to Chanyeol. “What’s up with her? This is not normal.”

“I can hear you, dumbshit!” Lin punched him in the arm.

“Now that’s the Lin I know!” Dongmin laughed and ruffled her hair. He then glanced at Chanyeol, “Dude you need to shower.”

Chanyeol raised his arm and sniffed. His nose wrinkled and he frowned. “Ugh you’re right! What time is it? We need to get to the bar at least an hour early for set up and stuff.”

Dongmin pulled out his phone and winced. "You have half an hour to shower and get ready. I need to uh, call the mother of my child right now.”

Chanyeol gave him an empathetic look and then sprinted up the stairs to the bathroom. He needed for everything to go perfect tonight. He had a strong feeling something life changing was going to happen tonight and it made him very eager.

 

 

~*~

 

Baekhyun returned to the dorm carrying an armful of shopping bags. He was still slightly irked that he had given Kyungsoo the other Wings of Fire shirt he bought, but it was the only one in his size that would drive Kai mad, not that that took much. Baekhyun was pretty sure that Kai was enamored by Kyungsoo. Mainly because he was going to a WOF concert.

Baekhyun snorted as he remembered Kai lamenting about how much he could not stand them to Luhan one day while they were in the coffee shop. He remembered how he complained about them not having catchy songs and that their concerts were full of wannabes. He also remembered how much he wanted to punch him after he said that, but due to his reputation, he kept his temper barely controlled.

Oddly enough he ended up tutoring Kai a week after the incident and found out that the kid was actually hilarious in a strange way. His humor was off the wall and helter-skelter, but unique. He was actually kind of dorky and quite likeable when he wasn’t busy being an asshole to everyone he met. Truthfully speaking, Baekhyun enjoyed tutoring Kai in chemistry and almost missed it. He enjoyed hearing the boy’s stories of crazy parties and random hookups. It was a lifestyle he always wanted to try out, but never did because he was determined to keep everyone thinking highly of him. So he settled for listening to Kai retell the previous night’s events.

When he dropped the class, Baekhyun was sincerely disappointed. He actually got to know Kai a little and liked the fact that he was different from his reputation. It reminded him of himself and he found comfort in that.

Baekhyun dropped the bags on the floor in the common room and kicked Sehun’s door until he opened it. “We have exactly forty five minutes to get ready! Your clothes are in the purple bags, I suggest the light wash jeans and the sleeveless top, but it’s your choice.” He waited for Sehun to respond and when he didn’t he started to panic until he heard a creak behind him.

Sehun opened the bathroom door, toothbrush in his mouth, and his hair in a shaggy mop. “What?”

Baekhyun let out a tiny scream and jumped. “I thought you were in your room!”

Sehun brushed his teeth for a few seconds and then turned around to spit into the sink before he answered Baekhyun. “You said be ready before the concert, so I’m pretty much done. I just need to get dressed.”

Baekhyun pulled an eyeliner pencil from his pocket and waved it. “Oh, you’re not done.  Not until I put my final touches on you.”

Sehun shied away. “Okay, that’s a creepy face, Baekkie.”

Baekhyun advanced towards him slowly, still waving the eyeliner pencil and a wicked grin plastered on his face.

Thirty minutes and a fully eyelined Sehun later, Baekhyun scurried to the bathroom to quickly line his own. Luckily for him, he was used to working quickly so he finished in a matter of seconds and then brought out the leather choker and clasped it on. He checked his reflection and ran his fingers through his hair before smiling brightly.

He looked drop dead gorgeous in his outfit and could not wait to see the look on Chanyeol’s face. The lightly patterned dark purple skin tight jeans hugged every curve of his legs until they were tucked into his black boots. He tugged at the lapels of his jacket twice and then examined his face once more and nodded.

“Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who looks the most fab in eyeliner of them all?” Sehun appeared behind Baekhyun and rested his head on his shoulder, smiling playfully.

Baekhyun swatted at him. “Clearly it’s me. I am the supreme ruler of eyeliner and don’t you forget it!”

Sehun laughed and flicked Baekhyun’s ear. “Should we leave?”

Baekhyun pouted and rubbed his ear. After a few seconds he let out the breath he did not know he was holding and nodded. “Yeah, better early than late.”

“Okay, let me grab my phone.” Sehun jogged towards his room.

Baekhyun watched him for a moment and then checked to see if he had his phone before returning to the bathroom to gaze at his reflection once more. “Tonight’s the night.” He whispered to his refection. “I’m going to meet Chanyeol once and for all.”

“Hey, have you seen my phone?” Sehun’s voice was muffled.

Baekhyun rolled his eyes and walked over to Sehun’s room. "It was on your nightstand the last-”

_Crunch._

“Oh shi-” Baekhyun began.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Sehun yelled as he shoved Baekhyun off of his cracked screen. “I told you to lay off the takeout, fatass!”

Baekhyun frowned. “Hey! It’s not my fault you left your phone on the floor!”

“I need to order a replacement phone.” Sehun whined.

“Not now we don’t have time.” Baekhyun grabbed Sehun’s wrist and tugged him. It was exactly fifty three minutes before the concert started and Baekhyun wanted to get a decent parking place.

“But what if I need to call you or something?” Sehun remained rooted to his floor.

Baekhyun yanked him harder. “Your call buttons still work right?”

Sehun nodded as he pushed the button. The screen lit up, but nothing could be read.

“Good, then I’ll call you right now. So if anything happens, my number is the last number on there so it’ll call me.” Baekhyun fished his phone out of his pocket and dialed Sehun’s number quickly. His hands were trembling slightly.

Sehun’s phone lit up again and vibrated. Baekhyun hung up and shoved his phone back in his pocket. “Okay, now let’s go.”

Sehun frowned at his phone once more and reluctantly let Baekhyun tug him out the door.

Baekhyun breathed a sigh of relief once he was behind his steering wheel. He waited until Sehun buckled his seatbelt and then turned on the car. One of Wings of Fire’s songs screamed through the speakers and Baekhyun turned it down to a more comfortable level. “Okay, it’s a twenty minute drive to the bar. I’m going to teach you all the choruses so you can sing along.”

Sehun gave him an exasperated look but complied.

 

 

~*~

 

“Guys there are cars already parking outside!” Lin yelled from her perch by the window.

“Really?” Chanyeol ran over to her to peek out the window with her.

Dongmin cursed as he paced back and forth. “Where’s our opening act? They were supposed to be here an hour ago. We have thirty minutes before the concert starts and they’re nowhere to be found!”

Just then the doors flew open and three guys poured into the room. Their faces were red and it looked as if they had been crying. They were all dressed in suits and their hair was styled neatly away from their faces. “Hey, sorry we couldn’t make it here earlier, we just got back from a funeral.” The guy wearing thick rimmed glasses bit back a sob while the others patted his arms and back.

Chanyeol whipped his head around. “Funeral? What happened?”

The one who was rubbing Glasses-Guy’s arm spoke with a steady voice. “Our keyboardist died last night.”

Chanyeol’s jaw dropped and he immediately went over to comfort them, ignoring Dongmin’s and Lin’s strange looks. “I’m so sorry. Do you know how she died? It was a she right?”

Glasses-Guy nodded and sniffled. “Yeah, she died of an over dose. None of us knew she was doing cocaine. Hell, I didn’t even know and she was my fiancée.”

“I – wow. I don’t know what to say. I’m sorry. If it’s any help, my sister died of an over dose a few years back.” Lin said.

Chanyeol and Dongmin looked at her incredulously. She ignored their stares and wrote down her number on a piece of paper. “If you need to talk, I’m here for you.”

Glasses-Guy thanked her and was led out of the room by the other guy who did not speak. The one from before rubbed the back of his head. “So we’re not performing tonight…”

“Oh we wouldn’t dream of asking you to play, not after this. We would have been fine with a call or an email, but the fact that you guys came here in person, wow.” Dongmin said.

“Thanks, and good luck tonight guys! Maybe we can open for you guys some other time.” He half smiled and waved as he left.

Chanyeol found himself staring at the door after they all left. He had the realization of how mortal he was wash over him and it was unsettling. “That was very nice of them to let us know in person.” He whispered. “Guess we’re gonna have time to perform that song now.”

Dongmin nudged him with his shoulder and nodded. “Yeah, makes me think about how precious life is you know?”

Chanyeol nodded. His mind drifted to Baekhyun once more and he made a promise to himself. He would talk to him tonight. He had to. After all, life was unpredictable and he would hate to end wondering ‘ _What if…’_ for the rest of his days. He turned to Lin and beckoned her over and threw his arms around both her and Dongmin. “Guys, whatever happens after tonight, I want you all to know that these past few years have been amazing and I love you guys.”

They both stared at him for a long time. Finally Dongmin spoke up. “I love you too, man.”

Lin punched him playfully in the arm and grinned, “Yeah, I love you too, you big oaf!”

Chanyeol grinned. “Okay, enough of the sappy stuff, we have a show to perform!” He nodded in the direction of the door, “I can hear people crowding the room already.”

Dongmin put his hand in the middle of them and glanced at both of them expectantly. Chanyeol placed his hand on top and Lin followed. Together they chanted and then raised their hands in the air. “Wings of Fire!”

Chanyeol snorted. “So that was kind of lame…”

“Yeah,”  Dongmin grinned.

“Let’s just forget that happened.” Lin chortled.

Chanyeol nodded and wet his lips. “Alright guys, this is it, this is our Thank You concert.” He paused. “I don’t know why but I’m more nervous for this than I was for our headlining tour.”

“Same.” Dongmin said and Lin nodded in agreement. “Must be because the fans that will be here, will be the ones we had from the start, you know?”

Chanyeol stared at the ground. He could remember their very first show here as if it were yesterday. It was their first show in general and he actually ended up throwing his drumstick into the crowd accidentally because he was sweating so much. Butterflies erupted in his stomach and he felt his face grow warm at the memory. There had not been that many people there that night. Maybe ten, twenty people, but that was it. Of course Baekhyun had been there, but he used to only stand and watch from the barstools or a doorway then. He was nothing like how he was now. Yet, Chanyeol could still remember the feeling of Baekhyun’s eyes on him. It exhilarated him.

“Ten minutes until show time!” A man wearing a headset poked his face through the door, breaking Chanyeol from his memories. It seemed as though they all had been lost in thought because when he met their eyes, they were both still slightly dazed. He smiled and bounced on his toes, feeling the adrenaline starting to build. He pulled his drumsticks from his back pocket and drummed them on the doorframe. “Come on, let’s get started!”

 

 

////

 

Sehun nodded his head to the beat and drummed his fingers on the side of the door. “You know it’s actually not that bad.”

Baekhyun gleamed. “Told you so!”

Sehun raised an eyebrow and continued nodding his head. He had most of the choruses down and was just listening to the music. They were only a few minutes from the bar and he could see the multicolored lights being beamed up into the sky. He suddenly had a great idea. “So you know when you meet Chanyeol I’m going to embarrass the heck out of you.”

Baekhyun nearly slammed on his brakes. “What?!”

“Yeah, I’m going to tell him all about the shrine you keep in your closet of him made out of the billions of pictures you print out and make into a collage.”

“What are you talking about?” Baekhyun finally arrived at the parking lot and circled it a few times until he found a spot. He pulled in and turned off his car. He stared at Sehun, fear in his eyes.

“Yeah and the fact that you stay up nights on end, scrolling through, what is it, tumblr? Yeah, tumblr, looking at pictures and videos of them performing.”

Baekhyun’s eyes widened. “You wouldn’t!”

“Or you know the stories you make up and tell me about how you two are going to get married and live happily ever after.” Sehun smirked.

“I don’t do any of that!”

Sehun gave him a look. “You know you do the second one. I’ve seen you.” Quite frankly, he was having fun teasing Baekhyun. His reactions were satisfying.

“Okay, fine I do the second one, but you wouldn’t dare do any of that would you?” Baekhyun looked almost ghostly pale.

Sehun snickered. “Nah, I’m just going to make kissy faces at him and tell him that you love him and want to have his metaphorical babies.” At that, Sehun rushed out the door, leaving an astonished Baekhyun still in the car.

“OH SEHUN! GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE NOW!” Baekhyun sprinted after him, causing Sehun to laugh even more.

He mimed making a kissy face and then said in a high falsetto voice, “Oh Chanyeol! I love you so much! Please have my babies!”

Baekhyun’s face grew bright red in an instant and he quickly glanced around to make sure no one heard him.

Sehun held back his laughter and brought his hands to his mouth and shouted. “MY NAME IS BYUN BAEKHYUN AND I WANT TO DO PARK CHANYEOL!” He took a deep breath and added, “IN THE BUTT!” The next thing he knew, he was on the ground with a very embarrassed, yet angry looking Baekhyun straddling him. “Hey, get off. People might get the wrong idea. You like Chanyeol, not me!” Sehun pushed Baekhyun off of him. This was too much fun.

Baekhyun sputtered and then pouted. “I’m starting to regret taking you with me.”

Sehun grinned. “Awh, come on, I was joking. I wouldn’t do that to you. You’d probably just pass out before he even said two words to you anyways.” He threw his arm around Baekhyun and nodded to the security guy guarding the door. The guard stepped aside and flashed him a grin.

“Do you know him or something?” Baekhyun asked as they walked in.

For a bar, the place was huge and often doubled as a club or party venue. The high ceilings threw flashing shadows from the strobe lights that were flickering in beat with the preshow music playing in the background. Clusters of people danced lazily and chatted, holding drinks in their hands, spilling some of the contents on the floor.

Sehun avoided a splash and guided Baekhyun to the front of the crowd. “Yeah, I used to deal remember? He’s an associate of sorts.”

Baekhyun nodded and then grabbed his hand. “We need to go to the other side if we want a good view of Chanyeol.”

“You mean _you_ want a good view of Chanyeol.” Sehun wriggled his eyebrows.

Baekhyun gave him a deadpan look. “Sehun.” He warned.

Sehun raised his hands in the air. “I was just saying!” He then whispered in Baekhyun’s ear, “Just imagine it, Chanyeol leaning down over the stage and pulling you on it and having his way with you.” He then tapped Baekhyun’s head a few times and pointed to the stage, where Chanyeol and the rest of the band were entering.

Baekhyun’s face grew red once more. “I will get you back for this one day.”

Sehun giggled. “I’ll be waiting.” He then jumped up and down ecstatically, screaming. “Chanyeol! Chanyeol look over here! Chanyeol!”

Chanyeol glanced in their direction and Baekhyun let out a squeak. “Oh God his hair!”

Sehun grinned as Baekhyun clutched his arm to keep himself from swaying and called out his name once more, “Hey Chanyeol! Do you recognize him? It’s Bae –”

Baekhyun clamped a hand over his mouth and dragged him into the middle of the crowd. “I swear to God, Sehun, I am going to murder you!” Baekhyun hissed in his ear. His hands were trembling slightly and he looked somewhat dazed, but the fury in his eyes was enough to make Sehun smirk. Tonight was going to be so much fun.

 

 

////

 

Kai arrived about ten minutes after the concert started and pressed the button on his keys to lock his car. He spent almost twenty minutes prior just searching for a parking spot and by the time he reached the line of people he was agitated. He pulled his phone out of his pockets and smirked when he caught the guy standing behind him checking him out. He was wearing black and white checkered jeans that hugged his skin so tightly they should have been illegal and loose cut, fitted black top that accentuated his athletic figure. Overall he was dressed to kill, and killing was what he was doing. With every head turn and gaping mouth he chalked it up to his mouthwatering outfit and devilish good looks.

He texted Kyungsoo asking him if he was here yet and waited for a response while the line slowly inched forward. Hearing the music from inside, he unconsciously started dancing and was soon drawing many stares from the people near him. He was not the biggest fan of Wings of Fire, in fact he could not stand the lead singer’s gravelly voice, but the beat that the drummer was playing was calling forth every ounce of dancer within him.

He soon found himself being pushed forward to the front of the line and was inside the bar in seconds. He glanced back at the doorway and shrugged his shoulders. He was in and that was all that mattered. He slid his phone out of his pocket once more and checked the screen. Still no response from Kyungsoo. Kai frowned slightly and made his way through the crowd. He whipped his head to the right after he could have sworn that he saw that barista from the coffee shop. He scanned the crowd for him, but could not seem to locate him once more. He was about to elbow his way through the crowd when his phone vibrated.

He stopped and pulled it out, staring at it.

**8:27pm – Turn around**

Kai spun on his heel and nearly crashed into a small girl with green hair cropped short to her head. He mumbled an apology and stared in fascination at the beautiful creature that was walking towards him. _‘Where the hell did that outfit come from?’_ He thought as Kyungsoo made his way to him. It seemed as if he was moving in slow motion. The flashing of the strobe lights made his ivory skin glow. Kai hungrily drunk in every detail of Kyungsoo’s appearance. He was wearing white skinny jeans that left nothing to the imagination, not that he minded. The way they hugged his thighs was as if they were a second skin. Every step he took, caused Kai’s heart to palpitate. _‘Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Why is he wearing that? God, his thighs! I just want to bite down on them and – shit. You’re in public, don’t think thoughts like that in public. Fuck, he’s walking so fucking slow. I wonder if he likes it when I – stop! Bad Kai!’_

He was still gaping at Kyungsoo when he finally reached him. His hair was styled up in a way that should have put the creators of hair gel in jail. Those doe like eyes looked up at him and Kai found himself focused completely on his full lips. He barely fought the urge to lock lips with him and stepped backwards. He noticed the shirt Kyungsoo was wearing and almost regretted it. It was a simple deep gray tank top coupled with a black over shirt that was completely unbuttoned. It exposed sinful freckles on his neck and Kai let out a small whine. _‘Just my luck. He has fucking freckles. I want to kiss each one and – dammit!’_ He swallowed nervously and then tried to shake some sense into himself. He cleared his throat. “H-hey Kyungsoo.” His voice cracked slightly and he wanted to shoot himself in the face.

“Hi Kai.” Kyungsoo purred, grinning slowly as he gave Kai a very slow and blatant once over. “You look great.” He had to yell as the next song had started.

Kai nodded and shouted over the music, “You look,” ‘ _Fuckable.’_ His mind completed for him, momentarily stunning him. “Uh, really good. Really, really good actually.” He said lamely.

“Thanks! I don’t usually dress like this, but I had help from a friend.” Kyungsoo grinned.

_‘May God in heaven bless the man that dressed Kyungsoo today, amen.’_ Kai swallowed again and nodded towards the stage where the band was playing. The song was one that he kind of recognized so he sang the few words he knew while trying to figure out how to deal with a side of Kyungsoo he had no clue existed.

After a few moments, Kyungsoo grabbed Kai’s arm and dragged him to the back of the crowd, where it was a little quieter and considerably darker. He then turned around so his back was facing Kai and placed Kai’s hands on his hips and did the unthinkable.

Kai bit his lip hard enough to draw blood and squeezed his eyes shut. _‘Please don’t let this be a dream._ ’ When he opened them, Kyungsoo was still swaying his hips in front of him and he was having a very hard time thinking straight. “Uh Kyungsoo?”

Kyungsoo peered back at him with innocent eyes. “Yes?”

Kai was flabbergasted. It was definitely the same Kyungsoo, but he was still the complete opposite. He cleared his throat again and shook his head. “Nothing.” He almost did not catch the sly smile Kyungsoo flashed as he turned to look forward again. _‘What the hell? What was that look for?’_

Kyungsoo suddenly closed the gap between them and Kai nearly lost it. His hands began acting of their own accord and were roaming Kyungsoo’s torso while his body moved in time to the music. He knew they were dancing the complete opposite style of the music that was being played, but his thoughts were so muddled from the intoxication that was Kyungsoo.

The younger, bit his lip once more and yelled over the music, “Are you okay with this?”

Kyungsoo turned around and snaked his arms around Kai’s neck. He stood on his tiptoes and gazed up at Kai with hooded lids. He brushed his nose against his and breathed, “I’m more than okay with this.” He ghosted his lips over Kai’s and then pulled away, disappearing into the crowd.

Kai stood on the edge of the crowd, frustrated in more ways than one. His phone vibrated in his pocket and he pulled it out and stared at the screen.

**8:36pm – Catch me if you can ;)**

Kai shoved the phone in his pocket and glared at the crowd. He could not believe he was being cockteased by Kyungsoo of all people. He briefly wondered if somehow he found out about his plan, but shook the thought from his head. There were only three people that knew the plan and that was himself, Luhan and Jongdae. He knew he didn’t tell and that Luhan wouldn’t. He was not too sure about Jongdae, but he figured the only way Jongdae would tell Kyungsoo was if he–

_‘That son of a bitch!’_ Kai thought. _‘So that’s what that cryptic message meant.’_ He recalled receiving a text message from Jongdae saying that ‘I’m betting all my money on Kyungsoo.’ Now that he knew that Kyungsoo knew his plan, which he had to since he was acting this way too suddenly, he quickly altered his plan. He was now going to take another approach. He had to make sure that he threw Kyungsoo off his trail. After tonight though. For now, he was going to indulge.

Scanning the crowd once more, he pushed his way through to find Kyungsoo and show him how to really tease someone.

 

 

////

 

Chanyeol stared out at the pulsing crowd. The majority of the people had their hands in the air, waving them around wildly as geared up to his drum solo. He was looking for Baekhyun. He knew that he saw him earlier with some other guy, but he had not seen him since. He bobbed his head in time with his foot and raised his arms above his head for the entrance.

He slammed down on the set, wrists maneuvering effortlessly as the roar of the crowd increased. He opened his eyes and met the heavily lined ones in the center of the crowd. Adrenaline coursed through his veins and he began to freestyle a rap to the beat of his drums. The crowd went wild and then suddenly Baekhyun smirked.

Chanyeol knew what was coming next and tried to prepare himself for it, but failed. As Baekhyun locked eyes with him, he watched as he shimmied and swung his hips. Chanyeol bit his lip and tried to focus on the task at hand, but his eyes kept wandering. He glanced over at Dongmin and found him singing with an amused grin on his face. Chanyeol felt his own warm significantly and then glanced over at Lin who stuck her tongue out and winked at him.

When Chanyeol glanced back over to Baekhyun, he nearly dropped his drumsticks. Baekhyun was now dancing with the other guy and the other guy looked like he was enjoying every second of it. He watched as Baekhyun placed one hand on the other guy’s shoulder and walked his fingers up until they intertwined in his hair. The other guy laughed, but did not move out of Baekhyun’s grip. Instead he danced closer to him and even threw a glance in Chanyeol’s direction before he smiled at him.

Chanyeol saw red and was striking the drums harder than he usually did, nearly drowning out the lyrics. Baekhyun seemed to notice this and turned around to investigate. His expression was unreadable, but he stepped away from the other guy and returned to his usual routine of teasing Chanyeol.

He closed his eyes and passionately caressed his chest with his long elegant fingers. His lips parted and his face looked as if he was in ecstasy. When he opened his eyes, he ran his fingers through his hair and smirked at Chanyeol before disappearing into the crowd.

Chanyeol felt a small part of him die. He wanted his dark haired vixen to return. There was something about the way his tight fitting jeans hugged his thick thighs. Something about the perfectly ripped shirt always showed just enough skin to tease him. Something about the black leather studded choker around his neck that drove him insane.

Chanyeol flicked his wrist and struck the symbol lightly to signify the end of his freestyle. The lead singer stopped his dancing and sauntered up to the microphone and began singing in his raspy voice. Chanyeol searched for Baekhyun in the crowd and caught a glimpse of him heading towards the bar. He hoped he would stay there for at least another song because their half-time break was coming up soon.

 

 

~*~

 

“Sehun you are a fucking genius!” Baekhyun exclaimed as he propelled out of the crowd. He stumbled forward and caught himself before he fell.

Sehun grinned. “Did you see the face he made? He wants you. He wants you bad!” He slipped his arm around Baekhyun’s waist and headed towards the bar. “I’m parched, let’s get something to drink.”

Baekhyun nodded and let Sehun lead him to the bar. He could not forget the look that Chanyeol gave him when he was dancing with Sehun. It was possessive and jealous and he liked it. There was also the fact that he ended up playing louder as if it would draw his attention and that made him smirk.

He glanced towards the man working at the bar and ordered two drinks. The man eyed him and Baekhyun was sure he would have been carded if he had ordered an alcoholic drink. Not that it mattered, he had a slew of fake ID cards and could easily buy whatever he wanted, but since he was driving he wanted to make sure that he did not kill Sehun by driving drunk.

He found Sehun comfortably perched on a bar stool and joined him a few seconds later. “So you think he likes me?”

Sehun threw his head back and laughed. “Likes you? Oh it’s stronger than that.”

Baekhyun furrowed his brows. “What do you mean?”

Sehun leaned his elbow on the counter and rested his head in his hand. The eyeliner around his eyes made him dangerously attractive and Baekhyun mentally applauded his handiwork. Sehun grinned. “He was so jealous up there. I bet you he’ll even try to find you during their break.”

Baekhyun glanced over at Chanyeol on stage and found him looking directly at him. His heart thudded in his chest and his palms suddenly grew sweaty. “You think so?”

Sehun turned and followed Baekhyun’s gaze. When he looked back at Baekhyun his smiled looked almost sinister. “I _know_ so. He’ll come find you, if not to talk to you so much as beat the shit out of me.”

Baekhyun laughed. “He did glare at you pretty harshly up there.”

Sehun nodded. “And I’m going to tell him all about you.”                                   

Baekhyun blanched. He knew Sehun was kidding but he still could not handle his roommate’s style of humor. It made him want to crawl out of his skin. He already felt light-headed at the thought of meeting Chanyeol and with Sehun joking about how he was going to embarrass him, it compounded his nervousness. “Sehun, please.”

Sehun snickered. “You know I’m joking right? Your face is just so fun to watch.”

Baekhyun was about to say something in response when there drinks arrived. Stuck to his drink was a note that read:

**_The drummer asked me to tell you to wait here for their break before the show._ **

 Baekhyun gave the bar tender a curious look and then showed Sehun the note. Sehun clapped him on the back and whooped. “I told you he likes you!”

Baekhyun could not believe the words he saw on the piece of paper. That must have been why the guy asked him for his card even though he had not ordered alcohol. Chanyeol must have known his real identity. He grinned. ‘ _It took him long enough.’_ Baekhyun thought to himself. Even though he tried hard not to let Chanyeol know his identity, he was somewhat giddy that he figured it out.

Baekhyun sipped his drink and felt a wave of vertigo hit him. “Sehun what if I pass out when I meet him?”

Sehun gave him a strange look. “You won’t. It’ll be just like chemistry class, just talk to him.”

“But it’s different. In class he’s just Chanyeol the Slacker. But here, he’s everything I have ever wanted and more. I don’t think I can meet him.” Baekhyun suddenly felt extremely nervous. The glass slipped from his hands and crashed onto the ground below, shattering into pieces.

Sehun’s forehead creased with worry. “Hey, relax, I’ll stay with you if you want.”

Baekhyun nodded. He was feeling quite nauseous now, and the room spun dangerously. “Ugh I think I’m going to be sick.”

“Whoa, okay take a deep breath.” Sehun was on his feet, his hands holding Baekhyun’s shoulders, keeping him from tumbling off the bar stool.

Baekhyun thought about the packet of tablets on his nightstand. He knew that if he took one, he would no longer feel so scared. He knew that he would feel giddy and carefree and that was what he wanted right then. He mentally cursed himself for leaving them and looked up at Sehun. “Help me down.”

Sehun gripped his arms tightly and helped him stand. Immediately Baekhyun felt a little better. He glanced at the crowd and spotted something that made him break into a giant smile.

 

 

////

 

Kai ran his fingers down Kyungsoo’s back, relishing the feeling of his soft skin. He had one of his arms around Kyungsoo’s waist and the other was up his shirt, kneading a trail upwards. He bit his lip and retained the whine that threatened to sound from his throat. He knew that Kyungsoo was completely beside himself, lost in the moment as he grinded into him harder, pressing every inch of his legs against Kyungsoo’s.

Kai rolled his hips once more into Kyungsoo and then let him go once he felt Kyungsoo start to pull away. He gazed at him with as much lust as he could muster in his eyes and smirked at Kyungsoo’s wide eyed response. His face gave away every thought he was having and Kai was practically swimming in his eyes. He could tell that Kyungsoo wanted more. Much more.

He gave him one last look and put every dirty thought he could imagine behind it. The small gasp that Kyungsoo emitted was enough to confirm Kai’s previous notion. He pulled him against his chest and half lifted him as he pressed his crotch against Kyungsoo, earning a small mewl in response. Sudden desire coursed through him and he found himself leading Kyungsoo out of the crowd towards the corner where they were before.

Kai shoved aside people roughly, not wanting to break the moment. He then pinned Kyungsoo against the wall, his hands braced on either side of him. He closed his eyes and breathed in the warm vanilla scent. Kai whispered in his ear, “Fuck, Kyungsoo.” His breath was warm against Kyungsoo’s neck.

Kyungsoo titled his head back, a low hum escaped his lips as Kai nibbled on his ear lobe. Everything was overwhelming. This was so close to the moment he wanted. The bedroom eyes that Kyungsoo was giving him sent his thought reeling. Kyungsoo’s small hands balled the fabric of his shirt and tugged him closer. Kai grinned lazily. Kyungsoo was completely caught in his web.

He spotted one of Kyungsoo’s freckles and immediately attached his lips to it. His thoughts were muddled and consumed by Kyungsoo. He was aware of the moans that bled from Kyungsoo’s lips and that only encouraged him. He followed the trail of freckles, kissing each one sloppily while his hands roamed Kyungsoo’s pliable body.

Not caring who was looking, Kai slipped a hand up Kyungsoo’s shirt and ran his thumb over the silky skin. Even the sound of the band was drowned out by the sensual sounds Kyungsoo was making. The short breaths and throaty groans drove him crazy. He pressed his body against his and noticed the reaction Kyungsoo’s body had to his touch. Tonight he would complete his plan and be done with him. All he needed to do was kiss him and then he’d be hooked.

Before Kai’s finger reached the waist band of his jeans, Kyungsoo snapped back to reality. He turned his head to the side before Kai’s lip could meet his. “Stop.”

“What?” Kai murmured and began lightly sucking on Kyungsoo’s neck. He was not sure if he heard Kyungsoo correctly.

Kyungsoo pushed him away, “I’m sorry, I can’t do this.”

Kai stared at him in disbelief. One minute he was sure that he had Kyungsoo right where he wanted him and the next he was being pushed away. _‘Maybe he wants to finish this elsewhere.’_ Kai thought and then smiled uncertainly. “Can’t do what?”

Kyungsoo gestured at the both of them. “This. I’m not like this, I don’t – I can’t.”

_‘Oh so that’s his tactic. Well two can play this game.’_ Kai thought and then gently tilted Kyungsoo’s head up towards him and gazed at him warmly. “I know.”

Kyungsoo furrowed his eyebrows. “What do you mean you know?”

_‘He looks so cute when he’s confused, maybe he was put up to the plan? I don’t think that Jongdae would do such a thing, but then again it could have been whoever dressed him today. It had to be someone who was an expert at teasing, someone who was good at hiding their real thoughts.’_ Kai bit his lip as he thought this and then glanced down at Kyungsoo’s feet. The boots looked somewhat familiar. He vaguely remembered seeing them in someone’s dorm, but he could not figure out whose. He mentally shrugged his shoulders and gazed down at Kyungsoo. A strange feeling bubbled up within him, but he ignored it. After all, he was only in this for one thing.

“That it was all an act. If you like me that much, you should have just said so.” Kai said as he lightly caressed Kyungsoo’s cheek leaned down to kiss him.

Once again, Kyungsoo turned his face at the last second and Kai’s lips met his cheek. He turned back and shook his head. “No.”

Kai’s smile faltered. “No to what?” All he wanted to do was kiss him and every time he tried he was thwarted.

Kyungsoo shook his head again and sucked in a deep breath. “No, I – too fast.”

“Oh.” Kai frowned. He glanced at the stage, noticing the closing song was being played and then back to Kyungsoo and smiled. If it took going slow with Kyungsoo to get him in his bed then he would. He was the master of no strings attached, so he had no qualms about extending the period of time he would have to spend with him. “We’ll take it slow then.”

Kyungsoo bit his lip. “Really?”                                    

Kai nodded and pulled him into a hug. A tiny part of him knew he would feel some remorse over using Kyungsoo, but if his original notion about him was correct, then Kyungsoo knew what he was getting into. Besides, Kai had a reputation for screwing and bolting. Everyone knew that about him and everyone was okay with that. And yet, as he stared down at Kyungsoo's unsure eyes, he felt the strange feeling once more. He knew in the back of his mind that he was going to regret this, but he could not be bothered by the future. He lived for the moment and the moment was now.

“But we are going to be friends first, okay?” Kyungsoo looked up at Kai.

Kai sighed. “Sure, friends first.” He knew he was just saying what Kyungsoo wanted to hear.

Kyungsoo smiled. “That means no kissing or any of what we did tonight.”

_‘The hell? How am I supposed to get  him in my bed if I can’t even kiss him?’_ Kai’s eye almost twitched. “How about we just see where it goes, at its own pace?”

Kyungsoo smiled at him and was almost swept away by the crowd that was now beginning to disperse, but Kai pulled him towards him before he could be tugged away. The concert was halfway over and the band was taking a quick twenty minute break to cool off and rest their voices.

Kai nodded in the direction of the band and then pointed to the door, “Wanna leave? I really only came here to see you and don’t really care much for the band.”

Kyungsoo shook his head. “I can’t. I came here because Chanyeol, the drummer and my roommate, asked me to and I don’t want to leave him without a ride back to the dorm.”

“Okay…” Kai scratched his head, “Then how about we hang out tomorrow or something?”

Kyungsoo opened his mouth to respond but Kai raised his hand to stop him. “As friends of course. I promise I won’t try any funny business.”

Kyungsoo nodded. “Okay then, I’ll let you know if I’m free. I should go though…I need to talk to Chanyeol.”

Kai frowned slightly and sighed. “Alright, see you later then.”

“Bye.” Kyungsoo smiled and waved.                                    

Kai watched Kyungsoo weave through the crowd before he left. He was absolutely ecstatic about discovering that Kyungsoo actually did like him, although it was no surprise since everyone liked him, but he was not too happy about having to put his plans on hold. He knew he could handle being friends with Kyungsoo, but he was not sure for how long.

Slouching behind the steering wheel, Kai turned on his car and pursed his lips. He was beginning to feel stupid about the whole night. He sighed and left. While he was on the road he thought back to the look of utter ecstasy on Kyungsoo’s face and cursed himself for being so close. He decided, half way back to the dorm, that he would call Luhan and ask him what he thought of the situation since he had no one else to turn to.

 

 

~*~

 

Sehun sipped his drink, “What are you looking at?”

Baekhyun’s grin widened. “So my plan worked.”

“What plan? Baekhyun what are you talking about?” Sehun looked in the direction but could not figure out what Baekhyun was grinning about. All he saw was the crowd moving in time with the song and a couple of people separated from the crowd at the bar or doing who knows what.

“I may or may not have helped out a friend get with some guy. Poor thing looked like he needed a good fuck anyways. At the rate they’re going, I’m surprised neither is naked yet.” Baekhyun pointed to a couple that was half hidden in the shadows.

Sehun squinted his eyes at them and then widened his gaze. “Wait, that’s Kai! What’s he doing here tonight?”

“Chasing tail. Looks like he’s getting lucky tonight. I have never seen Kyungsoo look so hot and bothered before.” Baekhyun wriggled his eyebrows.

“Ew, Baekhyun that’s gross.” Sehun scrunched up his face. He had never been a fan of public displays of affection and he certainly did not like seeing people practically do the deed out in the open.

Baekhyun shrugged his shoulders. “Hey, I helped him out, so now he owes me a favor.”

Sehun glanced over at them and furrowed his brows. Now the two were standing amidst the crowd gazing longingly into each other’s eyes. If he had not been aware of Kai’s reputation, he would have sworn that he looked completely enamored with Kyungsoo. Almost to the point where he’d venture to say he had fallen for him, but knowing how Kai was, it was probably all an act. “I don’t think setting him up with Kai was a good idea. You know how he is.”

“He’s not all that bad. I just think he needs the right person to come along and I think Kyungsoo is a great match. I mean come on, Kai is reckless and sleeps around and does all sorts of crazy shit. Kyungsoo is entirely too careful, to the point where he probably has boring hobbies like crocheting or something, and has never been laid. The boy needs some action.” Baekhyun glanced over at them and then his jaw dropped. Kai and Kyungsoo were still having an entirely too intimate moment in the middle of the crowd.

Sehun wrinkled his nose. “I think it’s an act.”

“I don’t know. I mean, I knew Kai enough to know that he’s not all that his reputation put him out to be, and I’d say he’s head over heels. I mean, that look just then, he’s smitten.” Baekhyun shrugged his shoulders.

Sehun grinned. “Wanna make a bet out of it?”

“Hmm, what are the stakes?”

“I bet you five hundred dollars, it’s all a ruse set up by Kai to screw Kyungsoo and that they’ll break up before Christmas break.” Sehun made air quotes when he said the words ‘break up’. He did not think that Kai and Kyungsoo would end up together in the first place. Kai probably just wanted to ‘hit it and quit it’, and Kyungsoo probably had no idea. At least that’s what Sehun told himself.

“Then I will bet you five hundred that they’ll be together by Christmas break.” Baekhyun raised his eyebrow and gestured to the retreating figures of Kai and Kyungsoo. Kai was staring longingly at Kyungsoo, who glanced back only once he reached the crowd and after Kai had turned to leave. It was almost too cliché.

“You got yourself a deal.” Sehun put out his hand. His eyes followed Kai as he walked out into the cold night. He knew he was up to no good. The kid always had bad intentions when it came to relationships.

Baekhyun shook it. "It’s agreed then.” His expression was too confident and Sehun wondered briefly if he made the wrong bet, but he squashed the thought. Kai was a player and Kyungsoo was the game, end of story.

Sehun glanced over and saw Chanyeol heading in their direction. “Hey, isn’t that Chanyeol?”

Baekhyun turned his head slightly and used his peripheral vision to spot Chanyeol. He nodded, his face in full panic, before he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He opened them and whispered urgently, “Quick, pretend you’re telling me an interesting story!”

Sehun glanced over at Chanyeol once more. He was halfway through the crowd, his eyes focused completely on Baekhyun. When he met his gaze he could feel the flames that shot in his direction. He leaned towards Baekhyun, “He is going to beat the shit out of me.”

Baekhyun stared at him, trying his best not to look in Chanyeol's direction. "How much you want to bet on that?"

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I had to split this into another part because this chapter right here is 16,416 words and that's only about half of the outline I had planned. Sooo yeahhhhh...there's going to be a part three up soon, it's about halfway done right now and I plan on writing all day tomorrow so expect another update later on ^-^ It will have Hunhan, I promise!


	8. Bad Intentions pt. 2 (Gravity pt. 3)

The crowd was beginning to disperse. Chanyeol leapt off the stage and landed with a small thud. He scanned the crowd for Baekhyun, but could not see through the throng of people headed his way. Fans shoved and waved sharpies and paper in his face for autographs. Chanyeol sighed and signed whatever they offered for him to sign, including a few faces, arms, shirts, and chests. His mind was too preoccupied with finding Baekhyun, who he hoped was still sitting at the bar, to pay much attention to whether or not he was signing body parts or merchandise.

He had just signed a random girl’s exposed midriff and some guy’s neck before he heard his name being called by a familiar voice. Chanyeol gaped at the small figure quickly heading towards him. He had never seen Kyungsoo look so... _different_ and almost did not recognize him at all. He waved him over and watched as the crowd turned to see who he was waving at.

“Hey great job up there!” Kyungsoo yelled as he squeezed through the crowd to hug him. He smelled vaguely of vanilla and a musky cologne.

“You think so? I actually messed up a little in the beginning.” He mumbled as he remembered seeing Baekhyun dancing the with mysterious stone faced male. He tightened his grip around his drumsticks and set his lips in a thin line. That guy was going to get it.

Kyungsoo blushed profusely from the tips of his ears to the base of his neck. “Oh I didn’t notice…I was uh, a little preoccupied at the beginning.”

“With that Kai guy right?” Chanyeol grinned as he remembered seeing Kai walk off with someone who he now knew was Kyungsoo. Funny, he suspected that Kyungsoo was meeting up with someone when he asked him what to wear to the concert. The normal Kyungsoo did not give two hoots about what he wore; he just put something on and left for class. Sometimes he’d even end up wearing outfits that made him seem like his parents still dressed him. It was adorable actually, so seeing him now was a bit of a shock.

Chanyeol scratched his head, “I saw him being pushed towards the back wall before the crowd got too thick, but I had no clue you were the one pushing him.” His eyes traveled up and down Kyungsoo. “I have to admit, you don’t look like yourself at all.”

Kyungsoo blushed even more. “Thanks.”            

Chanyeol nodded. “You’re welcome.” He peered over Kyungsoo’s head, trying to get a better look at the bar. “So is Kai coming over tonight? Do I need to find a place to crash?” Part of him hoped so, he felt that Kyungsoo’s careful lifestyle would cause him to end up alone forever and even though he had only known him for one semester, he had come to grow fond of the doe eyed male. But he also knew that his innocent roommate needed to get out more, in fact he was not sure if he even had friends, since he only ever saw him around the dorm.

Kyungsoo made a squawking sound. “No! Definitely not, we’re just friends.”

“I’m sure friends don’t go off into corners and suck face.” He laughed. Then his mind wandered back to Baekhyun. He would not mind taking him off to a corner and spending some quality alone time with him. His eyes slid towards the ceiling as he thought of how he would get him over there. He would walk up to him and introduce himself in the most sensual way he could manage and then he’d- Chanyeol’s thoughts were interrupted by Kyungsoo almost stomping on his foot.

“We were not sucking face! We didn’t even kiss!” Kyungsoo exclaimed. His face was so flushed that Chanyeol knew he had to be lying.

Chanyeol clapped a hand over his shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. I don’t judge. I mean we all have needs.” He scanned the crowd once more, it was beginning to thin. “Have you seen Baekhyun here?”

Kyungsoo shook his head, his blush deepening to an almost impossible level. “I was, uh, preoccupied for most of the first half actually.”

Chanyeol gave him a look. “How much did you actually see me perform?” Not that he was upset or anything, but he still wanted his friend to actually watch him perform.

“The first song?” Kyungsoo gave him a sheepish look.

Chanyeol stared at him and then grinned. “And you swear that I don’t need to sleep over at Dongmin’s or something? I don’t want to walk in on you getting nasty okay?”

“No! Nothing is going to happen tonight!” Kyungsoo flailed his arms wildly.

Chanyeol chuckled. “Relax, I’m just pushing your buttons.” He finally spotted Baekhyun sitting at the bar. “Hey, I have to go, wish me luck!”

“Good luck! I’ll hang around here until after the show, so I can drive you home!” Kyungsoo called after him.

He suddenly remembered the after-party that was planned. He figured Kyungsoo could use this experience to help him in the future. “There’s an after party! If you want to go to that with me that’d be awesome.” Chanyeol yelled as he ran over to the bar.

He was finally going to talk to Baekhyun and he could hardly contain his excitement. He shoved his way through the crowd and nearly tripped over his feet once he was expelled from the crowd. He brushed his hands off on his shirt and calmly walked over to Baekhyun and his friend, who was telling him a story with a rather unanimated face. In fact his friend actually looked pretty emotionless, the closer he got to them.

 

~*~

 

_Ba-dump._

Baekhyun’s heartbeat filled his ears. He could feel Sehun’s eyes on him and could sense another pair of eyes boring holes into his flesh.

_Ba-dump. Ba-dump. Ba-dump._

Sehun’s gaze slid over to the left and lingered for a little too long. Baekhyun fought the urge to look over because he knew who he would see. His palms were sweating and the butterflies in his stomach were going wild. His legs were trembling slight and he felt light-headed. He was going to meet Chanyeol and his body could not handle the nerves.

Of course he had spoken to him in class before, mainly because his teacher made him. But, being in his presence when he was Chanyeol-the-drummer as opposed to Chanyeol-the-lab partner, was wreaking havoc on him.

Sehun continued to flail his arms around while he told Baekhyun the plot of a re-run episode of The Office. Baekhyun tried his best to look as captivated as possible. He leaned forward and laughed, lightly touching Sehun’s knee flirtatiously. Sehun’s face paled when he glanced over the left once more. His voice faltered and he hurriedly whispered, “Oh God, don’t let him hit my face!”

_Ba-dumpba-dumpba-dump._

Baekhyun turned his head. Everything happened in slow motion. His eyes met Chanyeol’s and widened. He could feel the heat of his skin as Chanyeol gave him a languid once over before snapping his eyes back up to lock onto his. Baekhyun’s mouth fell open and his lungs forgot how to function. His heart was hammering in his head and his spine tingled. Goose bumps erupted on his arms despite the fact that he was too warm, and he began to see dots on the edge of his vision.

Suddenly he was falling forward. His mind scrambled to make sense of what was happening, but the vertigo sent his entire world spinning. There was a popping sound in his ears and he was engulfed in darkness.

 

 

~*~

 

Sehun watched in amused disbelief as Baekhyun fell forward. He realized a second too late that the distance to the ground would end up hurting Baekhyun and leapt from his seat.

Chanyeol, however, reacted with lightning fast reflexes and caught him before he hit the ground. He cradled him against his chest, a bewildered look on his face and asked, “Is he okay?”

After the initial shock, Sehun felt his laughter bubble up within him. He doubled over, nodding silently as his laughs reached the point where they could no longer be heard. He could not wait to see the look on Baekhyun’s face when he woke up. He could only imagine the embarrassment he would feel and that made him laugh even more. He could not believe that Baekhyun actually passed out. This was too good.

Sehun wiped the tears from his eyes and snickered. “He’s fine.” He giggled for a few seconds and then took a deep breath. “I didn’t think he’d actually pass out though. God, this is gold!”

Chanyeol stared at him in disbelief, a flash of rage shot out like lasers through his eyes. “That’s no way to treat your boyfriend.”

“Boyfriend? Ha!” Sehun burst out laughing again. “He’s not my boyfriend! He’s my roommate and he happens to be completely obsessed with you.” He was completely beside himself. No wonder Chanyeol was glaring at him earlier. He must have thought that Baekhyun and him were dating.

“So he’s single?” Chanyeol asked, his eyes softening as he gently stroked Baekhyun’s hair.

“Yes, go for it. Trust me, he’ll say yes.” Sehun patted the drummer on the shoulder. Once Baekhyun and Chanyeol got together, he hoped that Baekhyun would stop moping around the dorm, lamenting about how much he loves Chanyeol and that they could never be together.

Baekhyun stirred in Chanyeol’s arms. “Sehun?” He whispered and slowly opened his eyes. His face was full of shock once more. He tried to scramble out of Chanyeol’s arms and ended up hitting his head on the counter of the bar and successfully knocked himself out again.

Sehun fell to his knees wheezing. “Oh god! Is this real life?” He beat the ground with his fists, laughing once more. Not only did Baekhyun pass out, but he legitimately knocked himself out from the shock of waking up in Chanyeol’s arm. He was literally going to die from embarrassment when he woke up, again. Sehun actually felt a tiny bit of secondhand embarrassment for him, but not enough to make him stop laughing.

Chanyeol glanced from Sehun to Baekhyun crumpled form on the ground. “I’m afraid to touch him now.” Sehun could see how badly he wanted to though. He wondered what on earth Baekhyun had done to this guy to make him so entirely smitten by him. The look he was giving him right now, felt too private.

Sehun cleared his throat and wiped a tear from his eyes, suffering small bouts of giggling. Then he sighed. “I should probably help you take him backstage.”

Chanyeol’s eyes widened, “Backstage?”

“Yeah, he drove here and I can’t drive a stick shift. I think he should rest somewhere safe. You have security back there right?” He lied. He was planning on leaving Baekhyun with Chanyeol tonight. He would thank him in the morning.

Chanyeol nodded. He ran his fingers through his hair and then hefted Baekhyun into his arms. For such a small guy, he was a little on the heavy side. Chanyeol grunted as he stood up and Sehun laughed.

“I told him to stop eating so much takeout. The stuff goes straight to his ass and thighs.” Sehun looked at Chanyeol from the corner of his eyes. He knew the comment would draw attention to the right places.

Chanyeol looked down at Baekhyun and smiled at Sehun. “I think he has very nice thighs, though.”

Sehun wriggled his eyebrows at him. “You two are perfect for each other. I can’t wait until he wakes up.”

 

 

~*~

 

Chanyeol sighed and followed behind the path Sehun cleared for him towards the backstage area. He spoke with the security guards and they let them both through. He nodded towards the door and Sehun opened it. He walked through and placed Baekhyun down gently on the sofa. When he looked up, Sehun was gone.

_‘Strange guy. Still kind of want to punch him though.’_ He thought and then stroked Baekhyun’s face. He traced the contours of his face gingerly with his fingers and tucked his hair behind his ear. He remained crouched on the floor staring at his face for what seemed like forever. He hoped that once Baekhyun woke up, he’d be able to talk to him.

“Hey, we’re on in two minutes.” Lin popped her head through the door. “Oh, is that Baekhyun?”

Chanyeol jumped and looked at her. “Yeah, he sort of passed out when I said hi to him.”

Lin smiled, her eyes turning into little crescents, “How cute. He must really like you.”

Chanyeol laughed. “And when he woke back up, he tried to get up and hit his head on the bar counter.”

Lin grinned. “You two are made for each other. I foresee a nice long happy relationship between the two of you.”

Chanyeol smiled and then glanced at Baekhyun once more as his chest rose and fell. He hoped she was right.

 

 

~*~

 

Sehun pushed his way to the front of the crowd and listened as the leader singer announced that at the end of the night they would be performing a brand new song that had never been heard before. He was so relieved that he escaped being pummeled by Chanyeol. The guy was pretty big and he pretty much did not stand a chance. Sehun thought of Baekhyun who was sleeping backstage and how much he would have enjoyed hearing the song.

He nodded his head to the beat that pumped through the amplifiers and scanned the crowd around him. Instead of being near the side of the stage where he was earlier, he was now dead center. He eyed the people around him and felt them giving him the same look, as if they were sizing him up. He could tell by their outfits that they were the usual mosh pit starters and that he had somehow invaded their territory and they were not too happy about it.

Sehun shrugged his shoulders and continued to nod his head to the beat, occasionally breaking out a few dance moves, and garnering a small gathering around him as they played several other songs from their second album.

The lead singer grabbed the microphone stand and danced while holding on to it. He then placed both hands around it and screamed, “Are you guys ready for the new song?”

“YES!” The crowd cheered. Sehun could feel the electricity run through everyone as they shifted and crowded to the stage.

"It’s gonna be a little darker than you’re used to, are you sure?” The leader singer was milking the crowd for all they were worth. “This song is called _Twisted Valentine_ , we hope you guys like it.” He gestured to the guitarist and then Chanyeol, his eyes glittering in the low lights.

The entire room blacked out and the crowd fell silent. Suddenly a puff of steam erupted from the left side of the stage and a single beam of green light lit the lead singer’s face. The screams that erupted from the crowd were deafening. Sehun found himself wishing that he had moved back over to the sides and out of the dangerous center stage. He was jostled forward and almost lost his footing.

A strobe of purple light fell upon Chanyeol, who tapped his drumsticks to set the tempo and the song opened with a scream from the guitar as the pink haired girl slid her hand of the neck, an eerie blue light shone down on her. The crowd collectively gasped and Sehun looked around him. He was surrounded by mosh pitters and was beginning to feel uneasy.

The lead singer’s voice poured through the speakers and the crowd immediately went wild. Sehun was pushed even closer to the stage and the guys from before closed in around him. He could sense their building violent intentions and ducked under one of their arms, running into the crowd.

_Tears stream down her face_  
As she sits in her corner and cries  
For her love has left her  
On Love’s one day

 _Told her she’s worthless_  
That she’ll never find love again  
Hurt she returned to her room  
Turned up her music  
And drowned in her tears

Sehun weaved through the crowd until he reached one of the far edges of the stage. He breathed a sigh of relief as the bodies surrounding him simply bounced in time with the beat. Sehun soon found himself joining the crowd mentality and swaying his hips in time. He was letting himself get lost in the music. He had barely opened his eyes before he had time to react to the flailing arm heading in his direction and before he knew it, he was on the ground and his nose was throbbing.

He rolled over so that he was on his hands and knees and looked up to see one of the mosh pit kids dancing wildly, flailing his limbs around in the air as if he was having a seizure. Sehun felt the blood drip onto the back of his hand and stared at the drops staining his skin red. He stood slowly, covering his nose with his other hand and shoved his way through the crowd.

He burst through the bathroom doors and splashed water on his face. He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and pulled his out of his pocket with wet fingers. He wiped his face with his bare arm and tried to read the message through the cracks. The only words he could make out were ‘from: Baekhyun’ and ‘leave now’ and he tried to call his number. He failed to notice that he had a previous missed call and was surprised when Luhan picked up the phone.

“Hey Sehun.” Luhan chirped.

“Luhan? Why do you have Baekhyun’s phone?” Sehun kicked open one of the stalls and unraveled a fistful of toilet paper and held it to his nose.

“Who’s Baekhyun?”

 

_‘Shit.’_ Sehun thought as he tried to think of an excuse to tell Luhan. “Listen, I’m at a concert with my roommate, but he’s passed out and I’m in the bathroom with a bloody nose, so I can’t really talk right now.”

“Oh my gosh! Are you okay? Do you need me to pick you up?” Luhan’s worry was painfully obvious.

Sehun pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. “No, I’m just going to leave after I–” He suddenly remembered that he had to work at six in the morning. “Um, what time is it?”

He heard a rustling sound from Luhan’s end. "It’s almost eleven, are you sure everything is okay?”

Sehun bit his lip and gathered some more toilet paper to hold to his nose. “Um, actually I need you to pick me up, if it’s not too much trouble.”

He could hear the music from within the bathroom. The song was nearing its climactic end and the screams from the crowd increased in volume. He stared at his reflection in the mirror and decided that once Luhan got him home, he was going to cut off all their ties. After seeing what Kai was doing to Kyungsoo, he did not have it in him to lead him on. He needed to make things crystal clear.

Luhan replied. “No, it’s no problem at all! I’ll be right there.”

“Thanks.” Sehun hung up and splashed more water on his face. Tonight had taken a rather interesting turn. He stared down at his cracked screen and pressed his thumb against it forcefully. He was not sure how he was going to let Baekhyun know where he was, and he didn’t want him to worry, but without a properly working phone he did not have any options.

 

 

////

 

Baekhyun opened his eyes slowly. His vision was still blurry for a few moments and his head was pounding. He squeezed his eyes shut as a particularly strong bolt of pain ran through him. The room swayed when he opened them again so he froze, hoping that would make the room stop spinning.

Outside the crowd was roaring and it seemed as if Dongmin, the lead singer, was saying something but he could not hear. If he missed the entire second half of the concert he was going to be pissed. The roars increased and suddenly were cut short. Baekhyun wondered what was going on and pushed himself up to a sitting position, despite the pounding in his head.

A scream of the guitar told him that they were performing a song he had never heard before. A huge grin stretched across his face and his stomach flipped. Wings of Fire had mentioned on their fanboard that they would have a special surprise at the concert and now he knew what it was.

He stood up on unsteady feet and wobbled over to the door and opened it. He leaned against the frame and watched from back there. He had a perfect view of Chanyeol from this post and actually was watching him play rather than being caught up in making him go crazy. He admired the effortless grace Chanyeol had as he struck the drums. Of course, Chanyeol was wearing a sleeveless top so his arms were drawing more attention than the drum set, but still, it had been a while since Baekhyun had actually watched him perform.

A surge of emotions over took Baekhyun and he thought his heart would burst. Just watching Chanyeol from a distance was almost enough to satisfy him. He wondered how he would react once he met him and then it dawned on him. Inhaling shakily, Baekhyun looked at his surroundings. He was backstage and yet he had no clue how he got back here. He rapidly searched for his phone and found it in his pocket and tried to send Sehun a message but his fingers fumbled on the smooth screen. He stared at his message and sighed.

**10:48pm – We can’t leave now. I have to save face. Meet me in the backstage room now so we can go over a plan. I think there’s only one more song.**

He hoped Sehun would answer him soon. He then slipped his phone back into his pocket and settled against the doorframe once more. His eyes automatically found Chanyeol and he mentally slapped himself as snippets of his memory came back to him.

Horrified he stared at the floor and tried to calm his heartbeat which had sped up to dangerous level. He remembered turning to see Chanyeol and then he remembered falling, but he did not remember hitting the ground. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he failed to notice someone approaching him.

“Baekhyun?” The voice was much too deep to be Sehun’s.

Baekhyun snapped his head up and his vision started to swim again. “Hrrgg!” His eyes widened and he felt his face grow warm as he stumbled forward. He was soon enveloped in a sweaty embrace.

Chanyeol held onto him for a moment too long before he made sure he was steady on his feet. “Please don’t pass out again. I’m starting to feel bad.”

Baekhyun gaped up at him. _‘H-he just touched me! I have his sweat on me!’_

Chanyeol stared at him and bit his kissable lips. “Um, are you okay?”

Baekhyun nodded his head, not trusting his voice to work. He ran a shaky hand through his hair and let out the breath he had been holding. His entire body tingled and he still could not believe he was standing less than a foot away from the one person he’d do anything for.

Chanyeol cleared his throat. “So, um, about–”

“I love you!” Baekhyun blurted and then stepped back in horror. His face was on fire and he could barely breathe. “God, no! I’m didn’t mean that, I mean I do, but I don’t and I just–”

He was cut off by the sensation of lips meeting his. He froze in shock and then melted into the kiss. His long fingers curled around the fabric of Chanyeol’s drenched sleeveless shirt. Chanyeol broke the kiss first and then immediately apologized. “You have no clue how badly I wanted to do that.”

“I – I,” Baekhyun stuttered, bringing his fingers to his lips. He just kissed Chanyeol! His mind was reeling and his knees felt weak. He looked up at Chanyeol’s blushing face and could not take it anymore. He pulled him down and kissed him properly, with every emotion he was feeling behind it.

Chanyeol reacted instantly, encircled his arms around Baekhyun’s waist and lifting him up. Baekhyun wrapped his legs around Chanyeol’s waist and squeaked when Chanyeol pressed him against the wall. Their kisses were desperate and heated. Their teeth knocked on more than one occasion and their hands moved in frenzied motions.

“So long, I have wished for this for so long.” Baekhyun murmured as Chanyeol peppered kisses along his neck.

Chanyeol stopped and looked at him. “Why didn’t you say something to me? We’ve had classes together since last year.” His eyes searched Baekhyun’s face.

Baekhyun laced his fingers behind Chanyeol’s neck and kissed him again. “Because reasons.”

Chanyeol’s eyes were hooded and he brushed his lips against Baekhyun’s as he spoke. “Mmm, what reasons?”

Baekhyun had no desire to explain to him his complicated feelings about his reputation, so he just kissed Chanyeol again, hoping it would silence him. He wound his fingers in Chanyeol’s damp hair and breathed in his scent. He did not care that he was sweaty in the slightest. All that mattered to him was the way that Chanyeol gripped his thighs when he moved them from the wall and to the sofa.

Baekhyun stared up at him and smiled coyly. The sofa creaked softly as Chanyeol maneuvered until he was hovering above him and planted a kiss on Baekhyun’s nose. He scrunched up his face and poked his cheek playfully.

Chanyeol grabbed his hand and kissed each finger gently. “You have beautiful hands you know that right?”

Baekhyun shook his head.  He was not quite sure what he had expected when he met Chanyeol, but he was overwhelmed with how sweet he was. He looked down to his right and let Chanyeol tilt his face back towards him. His breath caught in his throat when Chanyeol kissed him tenderly. It was completely different from their kisses just moments ago.

He felt his phone vibrate but he ignored it and allowed himself to become drunk on Chanyeol’s kisses. Something in the back of his mind nagged him about getting too deep in this and that he could never be with Chanyeol but he pushed it down. He wanted just a few hours of bliss.

 

 

////

 

Luhan sped down the road, pushing the speed limit as far as he legally could. He finally had a chance to see Sehun and he could not wait. He knew he was overreacting but his heart was fluttering in his chest at the thought of being in the same car as Sehun.

He knew where he was going because the only concert that people were talking about was the one that Kai told him about. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel as a police car pulled out of the parking lot to the bar. He hoped Sehun had not been waiting too long.

When he pulled up to where he was standing his jaw dropped. Sehun looked absolutely amazing. The eyeliner, the messily styled hair and the silver choker around his neck gave him a completely different aura. He was still as stoic as he had been when he first met him but the overall appearance was intimidating.

He did not close his mouth until Sehun appeared at the passenger side and knocked on the window. Luhan shut his mouth with an audible clack of his teeth and pressed the button to unlock the door. A blast of freezing air smacked him when Sehun slid into the seat. He stared at the goose bumps on his arms and cranked up the heat. He was a little too warm, but he wanted Sehun to be comfortable.

Sehun glanced at him and nodded. “Thanks.” He rubbed his hands together to warm them.

Luhan’s face froze. He was so close to Sehun that he could see the way Sehun’s lashes curled upwards. He cleared his throat and pointed to a small button on the dash. “That will warm your seat, if you want.”

“Oh, thanks.” Sehun reached over and pressed the button and then settled back against the seat, closing his eyes. His nose was a little swollen and the skin around it was tinged pink.

“What happened to your nose?” Luhan asked, glancing at Sehun out of the corner of his eye. He finally pulled out of the parking lot and was cruising down the road.

Sehun opened one eye. “Some kid in the mosh pit whacked me.”

“Are you okay?” Luhan asked and then bit his lip. He felt like he was annoying Sehun.

The younger turned to look at Luhan and stared at him with an unreadable expression. “I’m fine, speaking of fine,” he paused. “Can I borrow your phone? My roommate is still passed out and I want to make sure he’s okay.”

Luhan nodded and then remembered that his phone was in his pocket. “Sure, but we’re going to have to wait until we get to a stoplight or something because it’s in my back pocket.”

“Which one?”

“What?”

“ _Which one?_ ” Sehun repeated.

Luhan bit his lip. "It’s the one closest to you, but–” He almost slammed into the car in front of him because Sehun had shoved his hand beneath him to grab his phone. His ears burned and he refused to look at Sehun directly, but he could see from the corner of his vision that Sehun’s face was just as red as his felt.

“Sorry, I wouldn’t be so forward, but I’m really worried about him.”

"It’s okay.” Luhan nodded and gripped the steering wheel tighter. He felt a pang of jealousy over Sehun’s concern for his roommate but he also admired the fact that he cared for him so much. He watched as Sehun pressed the phone to his ear, his eyes darting as he watched the trees go by.

Sehun pursed his lips, “Hey, Baek, it’s Sehun, I’m calling from a different phone, but I wanted to make sure that you were okay. Please don’t stay out too late.”

Luhan felt the twinge of jealousy grow as he heard the genuine concern in Sehun’s voice. He stared straight ahead and pressed his lips into a thin line, clenching his jaw. This roommate of Sehun’s seemed to get into a lot of trouble and he was not too sure he liked him. “Everything okay?” He tried to make his voice sound light.

Sehun sighed and quickly sent a text before answering him. “I don’t know it went straight to voicemail. So either he’s okay and ignoring me, or something has happened.”

“Well, I hope he’s fine.” Luhan said.

They drove in silence for a while until Luhan could no longer take the silence. He knew what he was about to ask would be a little too personal, but he had to get it off his chest. “Are you and your roommate together?”

Sehun snorted and then burst out laughing. “No.” He shook his head, giggling. “Not at all. That’s the second time someone assumed that tonight.”

“Second time?” Luhan asked, feeling somewhat annoyed by the fact.

“Yeah, the guy that he’s head over heels for thought I was his boyfriend because I had the brilliant idea to help him make him jealous. I laughed in his face and told him no. I love Baekhyun, but not like that.” Sehun half smiled.

“Oh. Well do you like someone then?” He asked as innocently as he could and glanced over at him. He immediately turned back to face the road when their eyes met.

“No.” Sehun said after a long pause.

Luhan nodded and bit back the hurt he felt. He knew he had no reason to feel upset, but he had hoped that Sehun giving him his number meant that he was interested at least a little bit. He remained silent for the rest of the drive back as he was lost in his thoughts.

 

 

////

 

Chanyeol nibbled playfully on Baekhyun’s jaw. They had just spent the past hour making out and now they were simply cuddling. Baekhyun squirmed and turned so that he was facing Chanyeol and stared up at him. Chanyeol gasped softly. It felt as though his very soul was being looked at and it sent shivers down his spine. He lightly brushed a lock of Baekhyun’s hair out of his face and rubbed his nose against his.

Baekhyun sighed happily and murmured. “I never thought it’d be so easy.” He kissed Chanyeol lightly.

Chanyeol half frowned, but returned the favor, his mind consumed by every movement Baekhyun made next to him. He could feel him slowly wrap his leg around his waist and it was beginning to drive him crazy. He never thought that he’d be this close to Baekhyun, let alone kissing him. “What’s easy?”

“Being with you. I thought that you would be different.” Baekhyun answered and closed his eyes. He titled his head back and latched his lips onto Chanyeol’s neck, biting him softly.

Chanyeol smiled lazily and ran his fingers through the silky hair; a miniscule gasp escaped his lips when Baekhyun bit him a little harder. “What made you think that?”

“Mmm I don’t know. I just,” he ran his tongue over the reddening skin and then kissed it gingerly. Chanyeol knew he was going to have a mark there tomorrow. Baekhyun continued after he snuggled closer and gazed up at him through his lashes. “I thought you’d be trying to get back at me for all the teasing or something.”

Chanyeol felt something vibrate against his leg. “That’s the third time your phone rang, don’t you think you should answer it?”

Baekhyun reach for his phone and turned it off. "It’s probably just my roommate, he’s just being annoying.”

Chanyeol watched Baekhyun toss his phone onto the table with the lamp on it and bit his lip. “What if he’s in trouble?”

Baekhyun laughed and circled his arms around Chanyeol’s shoulders. He kissed him passionately, his tongue swirling and then pulled back. “No, he’s fine.” He pushed himself to his feet and stretched.

“What are you doing?” Chanyeol pushed himself up on his elbow and watched as Baekhyun arched his back, a tiny moan escaping his lips as he squeezed his eyes shut. He felt gypped.

Baekhyun looked over his shoulder and winked. He then walked over to the door and leaned against the doorframe, giving Chanyeol a ‘come-hither’ look.

Chanyeol sprang to his feet and was at his side in a second. Baekhyun grabbed a fistful of his shirt and tugged him towards him, his eyes full of desire. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply and whispered in Chanyeol’s ear. “I should get going.”

Chanyeol grabbed his wrist and pinned him against the wall. “Oh no you don’t.”

Baekhyun squirmed; his eyes had a flirtatious glint to them. “But I have to, besides you have that after party to go to.”

Chanyeol shook his head. He lowered his head to Baekhyun’s level, “Forget the after party.” He caressed Baekhyun’s cheek and trailed the hand down his body.

As if on cue, Kyungsoo stumbled backstage. “Baekhyun?! Chanyeol?!”

In an instant, Baekhyun darted out from under Chanyeol. He paused and looked back and winked again before disappearing.

Chanyeol whined. “Kyungsoo, you scared him off!” He did not know the next time he’d see Baekhyun before class and he really wanted to make plans with him. He didn’t even ask him for his number.

“Sorry.” Kyungsoo mumbled staring at his feet.

Chanyeol’s annoyance dissipated instantly. "It’s alright.”

The doe eyed male grinned up at him. “I wanted to get you right after the show, but that pink haired girl, Lin, told me not to bother you for at least an hour.” He blushed. “Now I know why.”

Chanyeol rolled his eyes. “Nothing happened. We just kissed. Besides, you know how I am.” As much as Chanyeol wanted to take things to the next level with Baekhyun, he did not want to do so simply because Baekhyun was his fan. He wanted to get to know Baekhyun- the-person, before he went any further with him.

“Yeah, but if he’s anything like you described him, then I would venture to say that he likes you for more than just being in the band.”

Chanyeol shrugged. “I’m not sure about that. He had plenty of time to tell me before. In fact when I asked him about WOF, he acted like he didn’t know what it was.”

Kyungsoo bit his lip. “Maybe he wants to keep his school life and his personal life separate?”

That made sense. After all Baekhyun was taking the same pre-med courses he was, although instead of failing miserably, he was at the top of the school. Chanyeol shrugged again and then threw his arm around Kyungsoo’s shoulders. “Let’s go to that party.”

“I thought I was just dropping you off?” Kyungsoo looked up at him with a questioning look.

Chanyeol tightened his grip around Kyungsoo small shoulders. “Nope. You’re coming with me.”

“B-but, I don’t want to!” he tried to struggled from Chanyeol’s arms.

“You need to loosen up a bit, come on.” He tugged Kyungsoo beside him

“Wait, whose phone is that?” Kyungsoo asked as he twisted around.

Chanyeol followed his gaze and then grinned. Baekhyun would have to come back after all. "It’s Baekhyun’s.”

“Do you want me to go after him?”

Chanyeol smirked, “No, he’ll come back for it. Now let’s go to that party.”

 

////

 

Sehun laughed. He and Luhan were both on his floor talking. “You know, I never thought I’d tell you this, but when I first met you, I thought you were very pretty.”

Luhan pouted, “Pretty?”

Sehun nodded. “Yes pretty.” He remembered the butterflies in his stomach when he first saw him.

Luhan frowned, “Don’t you mean handsome?”

Sehun shook his head. “Nope, the word that came to mind was definitely pretty. Oh, and cute too.” He was enjoying the look on Luhan’s face.

“But, I’m so manly!” Luhan whined.

Sehun rolled over onto his stomach and stared at Luhan. He was wearing a pale pink shirt and dark washed jeans. His hair was styled back into the little palm tree and Sehun could hardly take him seriously. He had chickened out of breaking all connection off with Luhan. He was glad he did though. He had called Baekhyun twice after he arrived back to the dorm and was actually starting to get worried. He knew he played up his emotions when he was in the car with Luhan, but now they were genuine. It was well past midnight and he had not heard from Baekhyun yet. Part of him suspected that he was busy with Chanyeol but another part of him kept thinking of all the terrible things he could have gotten into. Plus, having Luhan there to distract him was doing wonders.

“You’re not really that manly.” Sehun said.

Luhan pouted even more. “I am too! I do all sorts of manly things, like, play soccer and other stuff!”

“Luhan, that’s only one thing.” Sehun chuckled. Luhan was pretty cute when he was flustered. _‘Wait, did I just think that?’_ He studied his face and found himself wanting to suddenly tickle him or wrestle him or any form of contact. He really wanted to just touch him.

“B-but I do other stuff too! I, um, when I think of something I’ll tell you. But be warned, my manliness can be overwhelming.” Luhan kicked Sehun playfully and then rolled to his feet.

Sehun watched him, from the floor, as he sat on his bed. “What are you doing?”

“The floor is hard.”

Sehun smiled at Luhan in disbelief. “That is so manly of you, Luhan.” He shook his head. Everything that Luhan did was cute. He sighed and rolled onto his back and closed his eyes. He could feel Luhan staring at him. He did that a lot actually, but it was never unpleasant. Somewhere deep inside him, he liked it when Luhan looked at him. He liked the way his eyes sparkled and lit up. He frowned, “Hey, I’m sorry.”

Luhan readjusted himself on Sehun’s bed so that he was laying horizontally on it. “For what?”

“Everything. Making you pick me up, asking you to stay…” he trailed off but added in his mind _for being an asshole to you._

“You know what? You are always apologizing to me.” Luhan reached a tentative hand forward and poked Sehun’s head.

Sehun opened his eyes and stared up at him. “Really? I’m sorry.” His forehead tingled where Luhan touched him.

“There you go again!” Luhan laughed.

“So- I mean, I’ll make it up to you.” Sehun bit his lip. He had no idea why he said that.

Luhan seemed to sense his hesitation and smiled. “You don’t have to. Just talking with you tonight was enough.” There was a hidden message but Sehun was not quite sure what.

Sitting up abruptly, Sehun spun around and stared at him. “You know what I hate?”

“No?” Luhan cocked his head to the side.

“I hate it when people lead other people on.” In his mind all he could see was Kai lying to Kyungsoo and it angered him. How could he and Luhan be friends? Luhan was the exact opposite of him personality wise. He was sweet, eager to please, and genuine. While Kai was cold, hard to read, and incredibly fake. Just the thought of him made his stomach turn. And yet, Kai was the first one to tell him to give Luhan a chance.

Luhan nodded. “Me too. It really sucks.” He glanced over to the door and pursed his lips.

Sehun pondered if Luhan had been lead on before and then mentally punched himself. Of course he had. Someone like him was probably led on all the time. He was too trusting and Sehun knew he was taking advantage of that. In a way, Sehun was leading him on right now. He invited him into his house under the pretense that he would have him stay long enough for Baekhyun to return and for him to get the guts to tell him that he did not like him. Except, he found that the longer he spent time with him, the more he was curious about him. He wondered if Luhan was really as bright and peppy as he seemed or if it was all an act.

He genuinely felt at ease with him there. To him, Luhan felt natural even if his demeanor turned out to be a façade. He felt as though he could be himself with him and that was something that was very rare with him. It had taken a long time for Baekhyun and him to grow close, so the fact that he felt so comfortable just talking to him was strange to him.

However, he learned from past experiences that everyone had something to hide, and he wondered what it was that Luhan was hiding. He drew Luhan’s attention by speaking. “Yeah and I hate watching it happen, knowing that the person who is being led on doesn’t know it.”

Luhan nodded again. “You know what I hate?”

Sehun raised an eyebrow. “What?”

“I hate spiders.” Luhan even made a short nod of his head as if to finalize his statement.

Sehun watched him with a bemused look. “Spiders?”

“Spiders.” Luhan said again, his face hardening. “They just waltz around thinking that they own everything, set up a web at face height and then wait for unsuspecting humans to walk right into them. It’s quite rude of them actually.”

Sehun chuckled. “Did you walk into a spider web or something today?”

“Yes!” Luhan exclaimed, throwing his arms up. "It was awful too! I just got out of the shower, so when I walked into it I slipped and fell right on my butt! I think I even bruised it.”

Sehun shook his head, laughing softly at first and then freely after a few seconds. It was such a small and trivial thing to hate and yet it made perfect sense. He would not let his mind linger on the fact that Luhan had been fresh out of the shower. Keeping his poker face he responded. “I agree spiders are pretty bad.”

“Yeah! I also don’t like the flavor cherry. It tastes like medicine.” Luhan crossed his arms in an adorable manner.

Sehun smiled and chortled. “I don’t think it’s that bad.” He watched as Luhan flopped backwards on his bed gracefully.

“I also don’t like unrequited feelings.” It was a whispered so soft that Sehun wondered if Luhan had meant to say it aloud.

Sehun stood up and walked over to his bed and sat down on the edge. He gazed at Luhan who had one of his arms thrown over his face. He pursed his lips. Even though he only spent the last hour with Luhan, he felt as if a giant weight had been lifted from his shoulders. In the last hour, he found that his worries had faded to the background. He was constantly amused by Luhan’s theatrical mannerisms and captivated by his extremely positive attitude.

In fact he had actually told Luhan a lot about himself in that hour. He told him about almost everything. He only left out his family because they were a very sensitive subject for him and the shadier parts of his past. The only thing was that he hardly learned anything about Luhan other than the fact that he hated spiders and apparently did not like being called ‘pretty’. He also found out that he liked soccer, which surprised him because Luhan was an art major and most art majors were not interested in sports. But Luhan was so easy to talk to, and he was a great listener. His face never once showed an ounce of boredom and he always looked eager to hear what Sehun had to say.

Luhan dropped his arm from his face and sighed. Sehun let his gaze drink in every feature of Luhan. He was undeniably attractive. From his dewy pale skin to his delicate features to fit, thin body. Sure, he looked a little feminine, but it was just enough to make him come across as innocent. Sehun bit the inside of his cheek and studied Luhan’s perfectly shaped lips.

Before he knew what was happening, Luhan’s face was less than a hairsbreadth away. He gulped and waited for Luhan to move away. His heart pounded in his ears and he felt his body tense. “Luhan?”

Luhan smiled and pulled away, a small fuzz in his fingers. “You had something in your hair.”

It was a full five minutes before his heart rate calmed down. He and Luhan had moved from his room to the common room and were now watching the television. Or rather, Luhan was watching the television and Sehun was watching him watch it. They were seated close enough for their legs to be pressed against one another’s and even though there was no direct skin contact, it preoccupied Sehun almost as much as Luhan’s reactions to the show did.

Luhan suddenly bumped his shoulder and gestured to the door. Within seconds the door was opened and a smiling Baekhyun skipped through, heading directly to his room. Sehun leaned over and whispered. “How did you know?”

Luhan slid his phone from his pocket and showed Sehun a message from a half hour ago. Sehun stared at him and hissed. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

Luhan shrugged. “I don’t know.” His expression was shy and his cheeks turned rosy.

Sehun frowned and was about to say something when Baekhyun twirled out of his room and ran over to hop on his lap. “Smell me Sehun! What do I smell like?”

Sehun shoved Baekhyun off of him. “Ew, you smell gross!”

Baekhyun wriggled his eyebrows. “That’s Chanyeol! I have his sweat on me!” he then turned, having noticed Luhan and his grin turned devilish.

Sehun knew what was about to happen next but he moved too slow. Baekhyun was already speaking. “You must be Luhan! I just wanted to let you know that Sehun thinks you’re really cute and he wants to date you but he’s too much of a wuss to ask you, so tomorrow you and him are going to go on a date and get, I don’t know, bubble tea or something.” He blew Sehun a kiss and winked at Luhan and then flounced off to his room again, humming an annoyingly happy melody.

Sehun avoided Luhan’s gaping stare and stood up. “I think you should leave. My roommate seems fine.”

“Do you really want to date me?” Luhan asked, still seated on the sofa.

Sehun pursed his lips. He cursed Baekhyun in his head and sent as many negative vibes as he could in his direction. He sighed loudly and ran his fingers through his hair. “What time do you want to meet up?”

Luhan’s eyes widened and he sprung to his feet and hugged Sehun excitedly. “How about noon?”

Sehun froze and then softened and hugged Luhan back awkwardly. He had his eyes closed because he was afraid of the look that Luhan was giving him. He did in fact want to date him, but he couldn’t. He feared that his parents would try to use their relationship for themselves and he knew that rumors traveled far within his parent’s circle of friends. There were eyes everywhere just waiting to report back to them. He slowly opened his eyes and forced a smile, “Noon sounds great, I’m off from work by then.”

“Yay!” Luhan exclaimed and released Sehun from his hug. He looked in the direction of Baekhyun’s room and yelled, “Thank you, Baekhyun!”

Baekhyun’s muffled response made Sehun cringe, “You’re welcome! Remember safe sex is smart sex!”

Mortified Sehun glared at Baekhyun's closed door. “Please ignore him. He’s on something, I swear.” His face was on fire and judging from the look on Luhan’s face he felt just as embarrassed.

Luhan then shook his head as if he was getting rid of a thought and smiled brightly. “See you tomorrow!” He turned and quickly slid into his shoes by the door.

Sehun watched as he walked down the hallway and waited until he rounded the corner before he slammed the door shut and stomped over to Baekhyun’s room.

“YOU ASS!” he shouted as he flung his door open.

Baekhyun was laying on his bed staring at the ceiling with a giant cheesy smile on his face. He was unperturbed by Sehun’s bombastic entrance and merely raised an eyebrow at him. “What? You weren’t going to do anything on your own. So, I gave you a little push.”

“ _Safe sex is smart sex?_ Ring a bell? Why did you say that?” Sehun asked. He was still reeling. He knew that Baekhyun was trying to get him back for all the teasing he did at the concert, but he never actually embarrassed him in front of Chanyeol.

“Oh come on, it was a joke.” Baekhyun rolled his eyes. He was practically glowing.

Sehun glared at him. “But it was uncalled for. And what is wrong with you? You’re acting strange. Did you take those tablets?” his earlier statement about Baekhyun being on something reverberated in his head. Baekhyun had promised he would not use them and if he broke that promise, Sehun was going to be disappointed.

Baekhyun shook his head. “Nope. They’re still in my drawer.” He then sat up and grinned even wider and whispered excitedly. “We kissed!”

Sehun’s eyes widened. “Wait, really? So are you two together? Are you going to stop pining over him?”

Baekhyun shook his head. “We’re not together. You already know we can’t be, I have my reputation, but it was amazing! We made out for, like, an hour. And he really likes me and I can’t believe it!” He sighed happily and fell backwards onto his pillows. He then kicked his legs up and down excitedly.

Sehun bit his lip, “Why don’t you just get over this reputation thing? Seriously, if he makes you this happy, then it shouldn’t matter.”

Baekhyun gave him a look. “Then why don’t you get over your parent thing and date Luhan, you know you like him. Stop with the denial and just accept it. You liked him from the start; otherwise you never would have mentioned him to me.”

“I can’t!” Sehun sighed. He hated it when people used other people and he did not want to fall into that category. Not with Luhan, he was too sweet and genuine and deserved someone who could be with him without any qualms.

“Then I can’t get over my reputation thing, end of story.” Baekhyun stated and rolled over on his side. “Get out, you’re ruining my mood.”

Sehun looked at him. It seemed as though the other Baekhyun was back. As much as he loved his friend, he could not deal with that side of him. It made him fear for Baekhyun’s life. “Fine, goodnight, and thank you.” He stood and stomped out of his room. He knew he was acting dramatic, but he felt extremely confused and needed to vent to someone. The thing was that he did not have anyone else to turn to. His mind traveled back to Luhan and he found himself smiling slightly. He didn’t have anyone to turn to _yet_.

 

 

~*~

 

Luhan decided to make a stop by Kai’s dorm before he headed across campus to his own. The air outside was bitterly cold, but he felt warm inside. He would finally have a date with Sehun and he could not wait. Although it was only happening because his roommate set everything up, and not because Sehun asked him himself, a date was a date. However, he could shake the feeling that Sehun was reluctant and that dampened his mood a little.

He arrived at Kai’s dorm and knocked once before the door was opened. Kai grabbed his arm and pulled him inside. “I have so much to tell you!” He bounced on his feet. “Also, you should really answer you phone, I’ve been calling you all night.”

Luhan smiled, “I noticed. I have thirty missed calls from you.”

“So you were purposely ignoring my calls then? Wow, some friend you are.” Kai pouted.

“I have my reasons. But first, tell me what’s going on. You look as if you’re going to pop.” Luhan chuckled as he threw himself down on the sofa.

“I did it! I have Kyungsoo wrapped around my finger and–” Kai grinned and poked Luhan multiple times.

Luhan cut him off, “So you had sex? Is that why you’re acting like this?”

Kai’s smile faltered and he shook his head. Before Luhan could say anything he began telling him about the concert in great detail. Absolutely nothing was spared and by the end of Kai’s blow-by-blow retelling of his night, Luhan knew every single tidbit and a few he would have rather not known. Kai, however was so caught up in telling him everything that he did not have the heart to show his displeasure of finding out just how great Kyungsoo’s ass felt or the squishiness of his thighs. It was strange seeing Kai so enamored by someone he only wanted to screw.

In fact, knowing Kai as well as he did, he stopped him, “Kai you actually like him.”

“No I don’t I told you already, I’m only in this for one thing.” Kai said as he bit his lip.

Luhan shook his head, “Then why are you focusing on how his eyes glittered?” He already knew the answer, but he wanted Kai to say it.

“Because it’s an important detail! Now, let me finish. Okay so where was I? Oh, so we were by the wall again and–” Luhan stared at him. “What?”

Shaking his head, Luhan stared into Kai’s eyes and very slowly said, “You. Like. Him.”

“I don’t! we didn’t even do anything because he got all weird and told me he wants to just be friends, so now I have to put my plans on hold, so I can get closer to him until he’s comfortable enough and then boom! Plan back in motion!”

“That’s proof enough for me. You like him, admit it.” Luhan was getting tired of Kai’s denial. The quicker he admitted it the quicker he’d stop trying to go through with this plan. Judging from what Kai told him about Kyungsoo, he did not want him to get hurt, and the plan would end up hurting both of them.

“I don’t. Whatever, now, tell me about your night.” Kai pursed his lips. There was a seed of doubt in his eyes and that made Luhan feel slightly better about pissing him off.

“I’m going on a date with Sehun.” He whispered and pulled his knees up to his chest, suddenly feeling extremely self-conscious.

Kai’s eyes widened. “I told you he’d come around! So how did he ask you?”

Luhan stared down at his feet. “He didn’t his roommate, Baekhyun, told us both that we were going on a date tomorrow.”

“Baekhyun? I didn’t know they were roommates. He’s a cool guy.” Kai nodded. “Helped me out with chemistry before I dropped the class.” He then nudged Luhan with his shoulder.

Luhan glanced over at him. “What?”

“Why do you look so sad about it?”

Luhan shrugged. “I don’t know. I just feel like if Baekhyun hadn’t said anything, then Sehun would have never even asked me at all. I know I should feel happy because I’m finally being given a chance, but it feels forced.”

“Hey, listen, everything will be fine. He’ll realize how great you are tomorrow and then everything will feel right.”

Luhan smiled suddenly. “You know he has a slight lisp. I never noticed it before, but he actually talked a lot tonight and I kept hearing it and I think it’s adorable.” He perked up because he realized how calm everything felt when they were together. It felt as if they had known each other their whole lives and he liked listening to Sehun. His voice was nice and he liked the way his eyes turned into crescents when he smiled or laughed. It made him even more perfect in his mind. “I really like him.” He said into the silence.

Kai watched him with an unreadable expression. “I know. And that’s why if he hurts you I’m going to get him.”

Luhan shook his head. He did not want Sehun to get hurt even if it turned out that he didn’t like him. He hardly knew him and yet he felt so strongly for him. He never really experienced being the first person to like someone before and he found that it kind of sucked. He wanted Sehun to like him back so badly. He even hinted at it earlier and Sehun had not responded to him. He would even be satisfied just being friends with him if it meant he could spend time with him.

Standing up Luhan muttered, “Don’t worry about it.” He glanced at the door, “I’m leaving. I need to be alone for a bit.”

Kai smiled sympathetically and patted his shoulder, “Everything will work out, and he likes you okay? I know he does, trust me.”

Luhan nodded, “Thanks.” He left, feeling strange. He wanted to feel happy, but the dread in the pit of his stomach would not go away. He kicked a rock on the sidewalk as he walked, his head drooping. The wind blasted him from the east and he shivered. Lights were slowly flicking off in the dorms as he passed them and he felt incredibly alone.

He had just gotten out of the shower when he saw a text message on his phone.

**1:17am - This is Sehun, I just wanted to let you know that I have to work a little later than I thought. Can we move the date to 5pm? I think I may be able to plan something more worthwhile. Also sorry about my roommate, he wasn’t in his right mind.**

Luhan grinned and stared at the message. The fact that Sehun was planning something made him feel better about the whole thing. If he was putting in effort instead of just saying yes out of obligation then he had to like him. Luhan told himself this as he towel dried his hair.

After putting on his pajamas, he responded, saying that everything was fine and that he could not wait. He sighed happily and pulled his blankets up to his chin. He had class early in the morning and since he now knew that Sehun had to work tomorrow he planned on stopping in after class.

 

 

////

 

Baekhyun grinned and closed the web application he used to text Luhan. He was going to get Luhan and Sehun together if it was the last thing he did. He figured that at least one of them could have a happily ever after. He knew he was going to have to get his phone back from Chanyeol since he left it backstage. He also knew that he was going to have to explain to him that they could not be together because there was no way he could let people see him for anything other than one of the top students at the college.

Ironically enough, he did not care if Kyungsoo or Luhan knew. They were not the people he was worried about finding out. It was the medical school scouts he was worried about. They would be arriving shortly after New Year ’s Day and he wanted to make sure that his classmates had nothing but positive things to say about him.

He then decided to check out the band’s website before going to bed and what he saw sent chills down his spine. He felt the tears spring to his eyes and bit back a sob. Wings of Fire was going on hiatus until further notice. He read the words at the bottom of the message and although there was going to be more information released tomorrow, he could not stop the sinking feeling in his stomach.

 

////

 

Kyungsoo watched as Chanyeol chugged another beer. It was his fifth one of the night and they had only been at the party for two hours. He bit his lip as Chanyeol teetered on his feet and then righted himself, cracking a huge smile and laughing. Fans crowded around him and giggled.

Kyungsoo settled onto a couch and bounced his leg nervously. He had never seen Chanyeol drink before and now he knew how he came home drunk so often. People offered him drink after drink and he took them all. The couch dipped beside him as he was joined by the person he saw talking to Baekhyun in the library a few days ago.

“You don’t look like you’re having fun.” The guy had angry looking eyebrows, but his voice was concerned.

“I’m not.” Kyungsoo said as he glanced back at Chanyeol. “My roommate dragged me here.”

The guy nodded in the direction of Chanyeol, “That guy right there?”

“Yeah, I had no clue how much he drank.” Kyungsoo stared down at his hands.

“Yeah, Chanyeol is a big drinker, but he’s a riot at parties. I’m Kris, by the way.” He offered his hand.

“Kyungsoo, and yeah I usually just see him stumbling home.” He watched as Chanyeol tried to balance a red cup on his forehead, the crowd around him cheered him on.

“I usually drive him home.” Kris leaned back and settled his arms on the back of the couch.

“You do?” Kyungsoo gaped at him. “I always thought someone in the band drove him back.”

“Nah, they all get pretty shitfaced at parties.” He sipped from his own red cup.

“Oh, no wonder.”

“Don’t worry, he never gets into any trouble. I make sure of that, or the girl, Lin, does. His other band mate always goes off somewhere else, so I never see him much.”

Kyungsoo nodded. “I see. Well thank you for driving him home, it’s good to know that he’s in good hands.”

Kris stared at him. “No problem.” He got up and bobbed his head at him, “You should loosen up a bit.” He then walked away and Kyungsoo watched him weave through the crowd, high-fiving various people and laughing at their jokes.

He wondered if he should maybe get one drink. He was about to get up and head to the kitchen when Dongmin burst through the doors breathing hard. He scanned the crowd and found Chanyeol and pulled him aside. Kyungsoo followed behind them, to make sure nothing happened.

“I have to quit.”

“What are you talking about?” Chanyeol slurred.

“I have to quit the band.”

“Why?”

“The girl, she’s a minor, I’m going to go to jail! Chanyeol I can’t go to jail!”

“Whoa, slow down!” Chanyeol said shaking his head and almost losing his balance.

Kyungsoo saw Dongmin catch him before he fell over. “She’s only seventeen! I am going to jail! God, why do I have the worse luck?!”

Chanyeol clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Relax, you didn’t know, they can’t take you to jail.”

“They will if I don’t leave school and help her. She threatened to go to the police and claim rape.”

“The fuck? Why would she do that?”

Kyungsoo gasped and they both turned to look at him. Dongmin clenched his jaw and yanked Kyungsoo closer. “Please explain to your friend the gravity of this situation.”

Kyungsoo gulped and nodded. “Chanyeol, he could end up in jail if she claims rape. The society is more lenient towards underage women in these types of things. I don’t know all the legal terms, but he’s in a lot of trouble if she reports him.”

Chanyeol pursed his lips as he mulled over the information. “What if we go on hiatus?”

Dongmin shook his head. “You don’t understand, I can’t be in the band anymore. You’re going to have to find another singer and bassist. I have to leave. I ordered the plane tickets already.” He backed away, “I have to tell Lin now.”

Kyungsoo stared at his retreating figure and then turned to Chanyeol. “Should we leave?”

Chanyeol set his lips in a thin line, his eyes hardened. “Yeah.”

Kyungsoo sighed. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be, it’s not your fault.” Chanyeol ran his fingers through his hair. He seemed sober enough to walk on his own but Kyungsoo still offered his arm as a precaution.

They wove their way through the crowd. Kyungsoo could hear Lin’s hysterical screams from the back of the room and let Chanyeol tug him out of the door. He did not have any desire to see her when she was angry and neither did Chanyeol. The icy wind slammed into them as they stepped outside and that seemed to sober Chanyeol up even more.

Kyungsoo sat down in his car and turned the key. The engine sputtered a few times and then roared to life. His car always seemed to act up in cold weather. He used his rearview mirror to back out and peeled out of the house’s driveway, his foot pressing his gas pedal as far as it could go.

The drive back was tense and awkward and Chanyeol stared angrily out his window. Kyungsoo kept glancing at him from the corner of his eye. “Hey…”

“Not now, I really don’t feel like talking.” Chanyeol mumbled.

Kyungsoo bit his lip and pulled into the college’s entrance. It unnerved him to see Chanyeol so silent, especially now that he was upset. He was used to him expressing how he felt, when he felt it. Although he did keep the whole Baekhyun-thing under wraps as well. Maybe he didn’t know him as well as he thought he did.

Once they were inside, Chanyeol went to his room and slammed the door. Kyungsoo creased his forehead in worry. His hand hovered above the doorknob and then fell to his side. He raised it again and then his phone buzzed in his pocket. Giving Chanyeol’s door one last glance he sighed and pulled out his phone. It was a message from Kai. He watched the animated envelope open and close before he swiped his finger across his screen to unlock his phone.

**1:23am – I was just thinking about you…**

Then a few seconds later.

**1:23am – Not like that! I mean I was just thinking about hanging out with you…**

Kyungsoo stared at the message. Butterflies tormented his stomach. He found himself smiling as he replied.

**1:24am – What do you have planned?**

He sat down on his bed and scanned his room. It needed some cleaning. There were several shirts tossed on his floor and a couple pairs of socks and boxers as well. He sighed and stood up. He gathered his clothes in his arms and set them down in the hamper by his door. He’d sort through them tomorrow and wash them.

His phone vibrated on his bed. There were two new messages from Kai.

**1:25am – How about a movie at my place?**

**1:26am – No funny business, just as friends :)**

Kyungsoo bit his lip. He wanted to believe that Kai had sincere intentions. He shook his head and stared at the message. He wondered if this was part of Kai’s plan. If he planned to get to know him and then use him. That would be the worst thing he could do and yet Kyungsoo replied with a simple ‘yes’ and plugged his phone into its charger.

He stared at a tiny hole on his wall, from the previous owner, and frowned. He shook his head again and sucked in a deep breath. He knew he would end up hurt once Kai was done with him and yet he could not deny the surge of feelings he had for him.

  _‘Why can’t I just stop this before I get too invested?’_ He thought as he hugged his knees to his chest. He felt his eyes prickle and blinked several times to keep from crying. He desperately wanted to be with him and only just realized it. There had to be something he could do to change Kai’s intentions.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this turned out much sadder than I planned :(  Also, sorry for the small delay in updating for this part. Some unexpected events took place and I had no control over them. But I hope enjoyed it! You guys are absolutely amazing and I love reading and responding to you all!. Anyways the next update for this will probably be some time next week...idk I'm planning/writing the next update for FOTA right now and I'm going to work out some sort of schedule between the two in the future~ I love all of you<3
> 
> Also, for some reason Hunhan is moving super slow :/ They'll have a giant part dedicated to them next update :)


	9. Resonance pt 1

Kris bolted upright in his bed. He was feeling somewhat hungover from the party last night. Squinting at the impossibly bright sunlight that filtered through his curtains, he threw his legs over the edge of his bed and rose to his unsteady feet. His tongue felt thick in his mouth and the pain that radiated from the center of his forehead was enough to knock out a full grown elephant.

As he walked to the restroom he began to truly regret going to that party after hanging out with Tao. But, he needed something to lift his spirits after receiving that text telling him that he should have kissed him. He knew he wanted to, more than anything, but there was absolutely no reason for such a good person to like him. He stared in the mirror at his reflection and that night, came back to the forefront.

_It was the day after Valentine’s Day and he and Yixing were headed back to his dorm, so that he could pick up the other black box and stow it in his pocket. The air had a slight nip to it as the breeze picked up and they huddled closer together as they made their way, laughing and smiling. Kris glanced down at the only person he had ever loved for longer than he could remember and beamed. If things went as planned, they would be taking the next big step in their relationship, a step he thought about long and hard before he walked into that jewelry store last week._

_They arrived at his door and Kris told Yixing to wait by the door because he’d only be a second, when Yixing proclaimed that he had to use the bathroom. With a shrug of his shoulders, Kris stepped aside and let him in. He followed, close on his lover’s heels, and briskly headed for his closet where the box was hidden._

_It was on the top shelf, in the very back, inside of an empty shoebox. Kris actually had to stand on his tiptoes to reach it and the second his fingers brushed it, he slid the box forward and all hell broke loose. The other black box, the one he tried to hide from Yixing for the past three months came tumbling down, opening and exposing the lie. Needles and vials shattered on the wood floor and the gasp behind him made his blood run cold._

_Kris turned around slowly, afraid of what he might see once he opened his eyes and tried to come up with an excuse. "It’s not what it looks like.”_

_Yixing’s eye twitched. “You said you’d stop. You promised me, Kris, you promised!” His voice rose with each word. His fists were clenched tightly by his sides and the anger, no worse, hurt, in his eyes hit Kris like a freight train._

_Unable to say anything, Kris stared at Yixing, eyes wide, hands trembling. When his voice decided to return to him, Yixing was already speaking._

_“Do you know how dangerous this is? You can mess up your entire system, Kris. You can screw up your entire future, think of your team!” He had his hands pressed to his temples as he dared to take a step forward._

_“I-I can explain!” Kris said at last._

_Yixing shook his head. “No. I’m tired of the excuses. Do you honestly think I’m stupid? I can see the injection sites and I know you don’t get blood-work that often. Kris,” he paused and closed the rest of the distance between them. “Kris, I can’t do this. I – I can’t.” He started to walk away._

_Kris’s hand shot out, “Wait. I promise, for real this time, that I’ll stop, don’t go. We can work this out, okay?”_

_Yixing shook his head again, tears welling up in his eyes. “No, no we can’t.”_

_“We’ve been together for six years! We can fix this! I can fix this!” Kris pleaded._

_Yixing’s hand paused over the doorknob. “I’m sorry, I just can’t anymore.” His shoulders shook and he turned the knob and left._

_Kris stared at the place where Yixing had been a few seconds earlier. How could this have happened? Why did it have to be this night? The night he was going to propose to him. Everything he had ever known had just walked out the door. Kris sank to his knees, crunching the shards of glass against his black designer jeans. He glared at the black lacquered box with hatred. He had been trying to stop._

_Fat, angry tears rolled down his cheeks and he threw the shoebox against the door, ring and all. For the first time in years, he actually cried._

Splashing his face with water, he sighed and applied the almond oil and honey mixture he made to the circles under his eyes. He let it sit there for a few minutes before rinsing it off with lukewarm water and towel drying his skin. He ran his fingers through his hair and walked out of the bathroom.

The reminder on his phone beeped and he sent a quick message to Tao, asking him to come to the game. He hoped that this time around, he wouldn’t mess things up.

 

~*~

 

Tao grinned, “Yeah and then he took me to that art exhibit I was waiting for! It really was the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me.”

“Sounds like someone has a little crush.” Junmyeon ruffled Tao’s inky hair and chuckled. He turned in Yixing’s direction and called out, “Our precious baby is growing up!”

Yixing laughed and added, “Soon he’ll be ready to leave the nest!”

Tao gave them both a look. “Really, guys, really.”

Junmyeon smiled warmly, “What?”

Tao pouted, “I’m not a baby. I am a grown man, thank you very much.”

“Sure you are.” Junmyeon teased. “Anyways, what happened at the exhibit?”

Tao narrowed his eyes for a moment, gauging Junmyeon’s response before deigning it acceptable and answering him. He had been talking to him all morning about Kris, without mentioning his name; he wanted to keep both Yixing and Junmyeon in the dark about who it actually was until he was sure something would come of it. Junmyeon turned out to be a rather annoying listener, always interjecting and making little quips about Tao’s ‘first crush’, which always received a lighthearted glare from Tao. Although he liked talking to him, it was a change from Yixing’s usually blank face as he digested everything Tao said. He could easily see how Yixing and Junmyeon fit together so perfectly. They were similar enough, but different at the same time.

“Alright, Junmyeon, it’s time for Tao and I to head to class now, I’ll see you later.” Yixing said as he gave him a peck on the lips.

Tao’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He glanced at the sender and grinned. Kris had just asked him to come to his game tonight. It was only a post-season game to help prepare the team for nationals, but he was excited nonetheless. He sent him back a quick, ‘sure thing!’ and pushed the phone back in his pocket. When he looked up, both Yixing and Junmyeon were staring at him. “What? Do I have something on my face?”

They both looked at each other, a silent conversation between their gazes, and smiled. “Nope, nothing at all, now let’s go.” Yixing answered, while Junmyeon helped him into his coat.

Tao frowned at them, but followed the couple out the door. They split near the end of the hall when Junmyeon left to go to his dorm and Yixing and Tao headed towards their class. There was a comfortable silence between the two of them as they walked to the art building. The air was crisp, but not too cold, not too warm. He tugged his pinstriped coat around him and adjusted his thick rimmed glasses. He had perfect eyesight, but sometimes an outfit needed a pair of specs to complete it.

Once inside the classroom, the teacher began going over the requirements of the project he assigned the day before. “The goal is for it to look abstract. So if your ideas don’t mesh well, that’s okay, because what may be horrible in your eyes, may be truly amazing in another’s.” He finished with his mini speech on the artistic eye and clasped his hands together on his desk. “You have the rest of this class and your free time to finish it. It’s due before Thanksgiving break.”

Tao gave Yixing a look. That meant they only had about a week to create, work on, and finish the project. With a knowing nod from the both of them, they whipped out a piece of paper and began brainstorming ideas. After spending the majority of the class time trying to decide between a sculpture and a painting, they settled on a combination of the two. Yixing drew a rough sketch of the sculpture he had in mind and Tao started picking out a color pallet.

“Okay…I think this will work out.” Tao said as he picked the final color. He held up the color he chose and showed them to Yixing, who nodded and displayed the sketch of the sculpture he tweaked. Tao touched his lip in contemplation and then grinned. “I like it.”

Yixing beamed. “This is why we make great partners.” He started gathering his things. “We need to go by the art supply store first before we set up the studio,” he paused, “Actually, you go set up the studio and I’ll pick up the supplies.”

“Sounds good to me.” Tao handed him the color pallet, “Get at least two gallons of each, with a sculpture that size we’re going to need quite a bit of paint.”

“Mmkay.” Yixing scribbled that down on the sketch paper and hefted his belongings and started for the door. He flashed a cheery smile Tao’s way before rushing out of the room.

Tao soon followed suit, after giving their teacher a brief overview of what they planned on making and headed towards one of the art studios. Most of them were occupied by the time he arrived, but he happened to get one of the last ones by chance. The room had paint splattered on the walls and floor. The tables had been pushed to one side of the room and were graffitied in the same way as the walls. There were tarps folded in one corner and a stack of chairs in the opposite corner.

Tao grinned. He always liked the haphazard way the rooms looked. They held stories and emotions from all the projects that were created in there. When he first arrived, he thought that the school would disapprove of such things, but seeing as no one complained, and everything was in perfect condition aside from the various pants and drawings.

He removed one of the aprons from the hook on the wall and tied it on before setting the tarps for their station. He glanced at his belongings and then tossed a tarp over them as well. With what he had in mind, he did not want anything to get splattered.

“Oh, good idea!” Yixing said as he walked in on Tao laying a tarp over his bag. He put down the paint supplies and waited for Junmyeon to walk in with the rest. He then put his things under the tarp and started removing the paints and setting them up.

A huge block of stone was rolled into the room and Tao frowned. “That is going to take forever to sculpt, are you sure it’ll be ready by break?”

Yixing waved a hand dismissively, “I talked to the teacher, he’s fine with it, and it’ll be done by Christmas break. He’s really interested in seeing how it turns out, so he gave us a special extension as long as we make something to turn in for next week, hence the paints.”

“Oh, okay.” Tao started removing the lids from the paints as Junmyeon returned with a large blank slate.

“I’m going to start on the sculpture, if you could quickly paint something, then we’ll be okay.” Yixing removed the chipping tools and walked around the slab of rock several times before setting the hand pick and hammering lightly. He then moved to the other side and did the same. “Hmm.”

Tao helped Junmyeon set of the slate and thanked him before he left. Once they were alone, the only sounds that filled the room were the constant tapping sounds from Yixing and quick brush strokes from Tao. He didn’t know what he was going to paint and was merely letting it flow from him.

“So you and this mystery guy…” Yixing trailed off as he chipped more rock away. He picked up a brush and swiped away the bits before setting the hand pick again.

“What about him?” Tao said as he dipped his brush in a light blue and accented the swirl of colors.

“Do you have anything planned with him tonight?” His tone sounded guarded and that caused Tao to glance over at him, but Yixing’s back was to him.

“Yeah…I’m going to his game tonight, why?” He returned to the painting and squinted his eyes at it. It needed more red.

“Sounds good.” Yixing mumbled and continued chipping away.

_‘Okay, he’s acting weird’_ Tao thought, but said nothing. He racked his brain for a subject change. After a few minutes of coming up with nothing he let the silence settle over him. He added one final stroke of red and then stepped back. The painting did not look abstract enough for him, so he glanced over at the bucket of paint and then over at Yixing and then back. A sudden idea formed in his mind and he called him over. “I’m thinking of something, something fun.”

Yixing followed his gaze to the bucket of paint and then he grinned. “I like the way you think.” He dipped his hand in the paint and flicked it. It splattered randomly on the easel.

Sharing a glance between each other, they soon began flinging random colors at the painting, laughing as they did so. Then Tao had an even better idea and he flung some on Yixing.

“Hey!” Yixing scooped up a handful of bright pink paint and splattered it on Tao’s face. “That’s what you get!”

Tao giggled and retaliated with a neon yellow covered paint brush, speckling Yixing with little dots of yellow. Yixing picked up a paint brush as well with his pink colored fingers and dipped it in a green paint. Tao ducked and ran to the other side of the easel and hid behind it. The green paint splattered onto the wall in front of him and he snickered.

For the next ten minutes they battled with various paints instead of working on their project. Neither proved to be the victor and called a truce. Shaking multicolored hands, they both fell to the ground in a fit of giggles. Both were covered from head to toe with paint. Their aprons took the brunt of it, but small amounts made it on to their jeans and shirts, neither cared though since this was the everyday life of an artist. If they somehow did not return with paint, or graphite, or clay on them after each class, then clearly they did not work hard enough.

“We should get cleaned up before lunch.” Yixing said once he regained his composure. He fought a smile at the pink encrusted hair on Tao head.

“Yeah, you have a little something on your face, right here.” Tao pointed to his cheek and Yixing rubbed the spot, leaving behind bright pink smudges. “Also right there.” He pointed to Yixing’s forehead which Yixing wiped and smudged even more pink paint on himself. “And here…”

Finally Yixing caught on and swatted Tao’s hand away. “Can’t believe I fell for that.”

“I can’t either.” Tao laughed and then stood up. “Wanna go get pizza at that bistro before we come back and work on this some more?”

Yixing nodded and they both went over to the sinks and scrubbed furiously at their hands to remove the paint.

 

 

~*~

 

Kris apparently had a type. His eyes nearly bugged out of his head when he spotted Tao, sporting a pair of thick rimmed glasses, a black pinstriped jacket with little hexagonal studs on the left lapel, and a black and grey patterned shirt. He had on black tight fitting jeans and his hair blew back from his forehead from the wind. He looked absolutely stunning. Kris’s heart rate sped up and then his stomach dropped. He was talking animatedly to a familiar face next to him. Yixing.

_‘Ugh. How do they even know each other?’_ Kris thought to himself as he attempted to disappear into thin air. A feat which was quite difficult considering his height.

Tao saw him and waved him over. “Kris!”

Kris blanched as soon as he made eye contact with Yixing. He forced a smile on his face as Tao jogged over to him. Upon closer inspection, he noticed tiny flecks on paint in both of their hair. He had such a soft spot for the artistic soul.

Tao stood between them, grinning blindingly. “Yixing, this is Kris,” he gestured to Kris, “and Kris, this is Yixing.”

“I know.” They both said at the same time.

Kris stared at his feet. He fidgeted with his wrist watch and then glanced up at Tao who was staring at both Yixing and Kris.

“Um, you two know each other?” Tao frowned.

“Something like that.” Kris muttered.

Tao blinked. “Oh, okay then.” He suddenly smiled. “Yixing and I were planning on getting some pizza at that Italian bistro a couple blocks over, if you want to come?”

Kris shook his head. “No, thank you for the offer though. I have practice.” If it were just him and Tao, he would not have a second thought about going to get pizza. However, there was a third party. This particular person was definitely not the one he wanted to be around at the moment.

Yixing stared at him for a second and then side stepped away from Tao. “You know, Junmyeon hasn’t called me back yet. I’m going to go check on him.” He smiled politely at Kris. “You and Tao should go get something to eat. If I remember correctly, and I probably don’t, your game doesn’t start for another three hours?”

Kris’s face remained frozen. He wasn’t sure what to say. He had not intended to run into Tao, let alone Yixing. He stared at him as he left and tried to force the memory from practice earlier away. He happened to walk in on his teammates shooting up and the sick feeling in his stomach had finally faded up until now. Seeing Yixing brought it back unfortunately, and now he could barely focus on the rather cheery presence of Tao next to him. Absorbed in his thoughts, he glanced over at Tao and stared at him. The dark haired boy was chatting freely.

Kris suddenly reached over and cupped his face. They both froze, hearts hammering in sync and breaths hitched. Kris wiped a smudge of neon pink paint from Tao’s cheek, his fingers lingering longer than necessary. Then he dropped his hands to his sides and shoved his hands in his pockets. He started walking towards the bistro while Tao remained frozen behind him. He turned and flashed him a bright smile, “Are you coming?”

Snapping out of his stupor, Tao quickly caught up with Kris, his gaze trained on his feet and a small smile playing on his lips. “Thank you.”

Kris nodded, “No problem. I didn’t want you walking around with paint on your face, that’d be embarrassing.”

As they walked into the bistro, the saucy smell of pizza filled their noses. They found a secluded booth near the back and waited for a waiter to come over. Soft accordion music played in the background and Kris found himself staring at a painting of Venice, Italy on the wall. He squinted at the tiny signature at the bottom and then glanced at Tao. “You painted that?”

“Hmm?” Tao looked up from the dessert menu that was on every table. He turned to see what Kris was gesturing toward and then nodded. “Yeah, it was a while ago, for a project we did the first week of school. I guess he was serious when he said he’d hang it up.”

“Tao, that’s amazing!” Kris said and then inspected it even more. Why was it always an artist that caught his eye? What was it about them that drew him like a moth to a flame? Of course Tao was more than an artist, but there had to be some connection. Kris’s gaze traveled over to Tao, who was now talking to the waiter that showed up and he found himself admiring the angular shape of his jaw.

“And what will you have sir?” The waiter repeated, his tone mildly annoyed.

Kris felt his face grow warm. “Um, I’ll have what he’s having.” He had not realized the waiter had spoken to him before. He was too caught up in following the slope of Tao’s nose, the inky strands of hair that brushed the nape of his neck, the way glasses only made him even more attracted to him.

The waiter nodded and walked away. Tao met Kris’s eyes and giggled. “Little preoccupied, huh?”

“Yeah, I think you have more paint on your face.” Kris lied quickly, hoping to cover up the fact that he had been blatantly staring instead.

Tao brushed a hand against his cheek, “Better?”

Kris nodded and glanced up as the waiter returned with two glasses of water with lemon wedges perched on the rims. He brought his to his lips and sipped idly from it.

“So the game is more of a practice right?” Tao’s voice brought Kris out of his head once more.

He nodded and sipped more of his drink. “Yeah, we have nationals in January, so Coach wanted us to stay on our toes.”

“So there will be more games then?” Tao asked.

Kris nodded again, he still felt somewhat awkward and really wanted for everything to just fall into place. “There will be a game each week until then.”

Tao’s eyes widened and he smiled brightly. “Then I can make lots of fan signs!”

Kris stared at him. “Fan signs?” He knew what Tao was talking about, but had never had one made for him. Yixing never really liked sports and would always be doing something during his games.

“Yeah, in fact, I plan on making one after lunch for your game.” Tao grinned. He was pulling out his sketch book and flipped through a few pages. “I sketched a couple ideas, but I didn’t know which one to use, but now I can use them all. I’m really excited actually.”

Kris did not know what to say. Luckily, the waiter had returned with their meals and he let the subject change. They ate and talked more about the rules of the game as Tao was not too clear on how basketball was played. Kris liked the fact that Tao seemed genuinely interested and wondered if he ever played as a child. The thought made him think of his childhood, which they then talked about, and led him to thoughts of Thanksgiving.

Tao stood up and adjusted his bag on his shoulder, “I should get going, that sign isn’t going to make itself.”

“Wait,” Kris said. It was now or never. “What are you doing for Thanksgiving?” He knew that Tao would not be going to visit his parents, since they had passed, and he didn’t want him to be alone either.

A flash of pain flew across Tao’s face before he answered. “Um, I don’t know, probably spending it with Yixing and Junmyeon.”

Kris flinched at the mention of Junmyeon’s name. “Uh, if you’d like, you could come with me and meet my family.” He scratched the back of his head. He was going out on a limb here, but if he really wanted things to work out between them, he needed to get the ball rolling somehow.

“That sounds nice actually.” Tao said slowly as he thought it over. “Yeah, I’d like that.”

“Okay, then it’s settled, you’re coming with me for Thanksgiving. I think you’ll like them, it’s only me, my mom, and my dad, so it won’t be too big.”

Tao nodded and turned to leave. “Alright, see you at the game.”

Kris watched him leave before slamming his palm to his head. _‘Stupid. Stupid stupid stupid! Just yesterday Tao told me that he lost his family and now here I am blabbering about them! Ugh!’_  He mentally chastised himself over and over as he walked over to the athletic building.

He quickly checked to make sure no one was in the locker room before sitting down, his head in his hands. He remained like that until the sounds of shoes squeaking grew near. He walked over to one of the sinks and splashed water on his face and neck. He knew he was being hard on himself, it was his nature to be, and he couldn’t help it. He just wanted everything to be perfect but everything about today was awkward and forced. He found himself wishing he never left the comfort of his bed this morning.

“Hey, you don’t look so good, man.” His roommate voice came from behind him and soon his hand was on his shoulder.

“Having one of those days.” Kris said as he walked over to his bag and began changing into his uniform.

“Well, whatever it is bothering you, just take it out on the court.” His roommate added before he too began changing.

In a few seconds, the entire locker room was filled with the cacophony of bags being unzipped, lockers being opened, and aerosol deodorant being sprayed. Soon there was talk of an after game celebration, in the event that they won, which they would, and everyone offered ideas of where to go. Everyone was buzzing around, trying to get ready as quick as possible. Almost as fast as the room was filled, it was emptied and Kris led the way onto the court. It was still a solid hour away from the start of the game and the stands were filling up already.

The coach called them over to shoot some free throws for warm ups. Kris easily made each basket and grinned. He was beginning to feel exhilarated and could feel the stress from earlier melt off of him. It was just him and the court and never realized how much his mind needed that.

By the time the game was ready to start, the team had gone over their strategy and Kris had scanned the crowd several times, looking for the familiar dark haired boy. The other team had shown up not too long ago and was still warming up. Kris jogged over to his coach the rest of the team followed behind them. It was time for their pregame pep talk. Flashes of green and white darted in the corner of his vision and he knew that the cheerleaders were beginning their pregame cheers.

They all placed their hands in the center and chanted their name before spreading out on the court. Kris braced his hands on his knees and waited for the referee to walk onto the court before he strolled over to the center to shake hands with the other team’s captain. The game was ready to begin.

 

 

~*~

 

Tao pushed his way to his seat, courtside, and pulled out his sign. A girl sitting to his right glanced down at it and gaped.

“Wow, that’s really good! You must be an art major.”

Tao smiled shyly. “Thank you, and yes I am.” His eyes automatically found Kris standing in the center shaking hands with a member of the opposite team.

“I’m Kris’ fan too! Isn’t he amazing?” She beamed and pulled out her own sign.

Tao glanced at it and forced a smile. Her sign wasn’t nearly as good as his. The thought made him smirk. “Yeah, he sure is.”

The buzzer went off and soon the gymnasium was filled with squeaks from tennis shoes and the sound of rubber slapping flesh as the ball was passed from player to player, who dribbled, and then shot. Tao was on the edge of his seat as the ball soared through the air and missed. “Yes!”

Now Kris had the ball and was dribbling it down the court with the speed of a cheetah. He faked a left and made his way to the hoop and shot. It swished gracefully and the crowd erupted in cheers! Tao stood up and waved his sign in the air while the cheerleaders chanted a cheer. He met Kris’s gaze and grinned even more when the basketball player’s face reddened slightly.

His phone vibrated in his pocket and Tao had to lower his sign to answer Yixing, who asked him how the game was going.

**7:13pm – It just started and Kris already scored! He’s sooooo good! :)**

Tao rolled his eyes when Yixing replied calling him a fanboy and then told him that he had to pay attention and that he’d talk to him later. Shoving his phone back in his pocket, Tao cheered with the crowd. He was already getting caught up in the crowd mentality. He found himself cheering when they did, stomping his feet when they did and even found himself chatting with the girl next to him.

The buzzer for half-time went off and Tao sent a quick text to Yixing telling him that the game was half over and that he’d be back soon. The girl next to him clutched his arm randomly and Tao fought the urge to pull away.

“Oh my god! He’s coming over here! How do I look?” She babbled to Tao’s unconcerned ear.

He reassured her and then grinned when Kris came up to him, a towel around his neck, and a huge smile on his face. “You made it!”

Tao beamed. “I told you I would,” he gestured to his sign, “Do you like it?”

Kris reached for it and examined it a grin tugging his lips upward. It was a drawing of a chibi styled Kris dribbling a basketball and the words ‘Go, Kris! Go!’ in perfect flowing cursive. “You even got the eyebrows.” He chuckled and handed it back to Tao.

“Wait until you see next week’s sign.” Tao teased and snuck a glance over to the girl who was glowering. He couldn’t help but feel some sort of satisfaction at the fact. It was petty, but everyone could be petty at times.

“Yo, Kris! Come on!” One of the players shouted and Kris held up a finger.

“We’ll talk after the game okay? Wish me luck!” With that, he bounded off towards the court.

The rest of the game went how they usually went. The visiting team lost, as was expected, and the home team’s crowd went wild as Kris shot the final hoop. Everyone jumped and hooted and made a general ruckus. Tao followed their lead and hollered with them.

 

 

~*~

 

In the locker room, Kris quickly jumped under the stream of water and rinsed the sweat off of himself. Everyone was in high spirits and the talk of the celebration was in full force. They were planning on heading to the local bar, as they usually did, and this time Kris felt like going. He wanted to invite Tao along as well, so he could get to know the teammates, but wasn’t sure how to go about it.

“Hey, loverboy, I saw your fan out there.”  One of his teammates nudged him in the side as he turned off the shower.

“Yeah, looks like you got yourself quite a catch, captain.” Another teammate said as he tossed a towel to Kris.

“Tell him to join us at the bar.” His roommate added and the rest of the team agreed.

Well, that was easy. “I don’t know guys…” Kris trailed off, pretending to be unsure. He finished drying off and was now putting on his change of clothes, which were for once, casual.

“Dude, we won’t bite.” His roommate reassured as he tugged a shirt over his head.

“Alright.” Kris said at last and pulled his own t-shirt over his head. It was a simple solid white color and his jeans were light washed and were perfectly fitted. He ran his fingers through his blonde strands and stepped into his shoes.

 

 

~*~

 

Tao sat in between Kris and his roommate, still somewhat shocked that he had been invited to the after game celebration. He was feeling slightly tipsy from the beer he knew he should not be drinking, but tonight was an exception. The team won after all, and he could allow himself to have a little fun.

“Man, you have got to be kidding me! There is no way you can flip.” The dark player, Abdul, said in his Nigerian accent.

Tao grinned, “I can too!”

“Alright, then show me.” Abdul challenged.

Kris spoke up, “Not in here, there’s not enough space.” He had barely said anything for the last hour, and instead sipped from his third beer. Tao couldn’t tell if he was still sober, since he refused to speak much.

Tao nodded, “Yeah, what he said.” He couldn’t believe that these people were so easy to fit in with. He always thought that each clique in the school were cliques because they were similar, but sitting here, surrounded by the entire basketball team, Tao found himself identifying with them as well. “Maybe tomorrow though.” He took another small sip from his half empty bottle.

Kris’s roommate was almost completely drunk and he slapped a hand on Tao’s shoulder. “Y-you gotta promish that.” He waved one finger in Tao’s face and hiccupped.

Tao gently removed his hand and grinned. “I promise.”

Another teammate arrived, albeit unstable on his feet, with a tray of shot glasses. “Alright, it’s time to see who will win this time. So far, Kris is the reigning winner for the past three weeks.” He set the tray down and produced a bottle of hard liquor and began pouring it into the shot glasses.

Everyone stared at Kris, who after some convincing pushed himself to a standing position on one side of the table. He wobbled slightly, but for the most part, he was pretty balanced. Abdul was soon pushed to the other side of the table and nearly toppled over before righting himself. Tao watched with interest and took another swig of his beer.

At the count of three they began downing the shots as fast as they could, each time everyone cheered and beat their fists on the table. “Six! Seven!” They chanted and Tao raised an eyebrow. Kris sure could hold his alcohol. By the ninth shot, Abdul gave up; he was swaying dangerously now, and had to be steadied by one of the teammates. Kris on the other hand downed a tenth before raising his hands in the air and cheering wildly. The entire team joined in on the shouting and crowned Kris the winner once more.

After receiving several more harsh looks from the bartender, Tao spoke up, “I think we should call it a night.”

Everyone turned to him and stared for a few seconds before murmuring their agreement. It was nearly two in the morning and most of them had classes the next day. Kris stumbled over towards Tao and threw his arm around him. “Good thinking.”

Tao waited until he was sure Kris was well enough to walk before leading the way out of the bar. Other than his motor skills, Kris seemed rather unaffected by the amount of alcohol he ingested. They made their way to his dorm slowly, Kris leaning on Tao for support and talked of the game.

“You were really amazing out there.”

“So I’m much better than ‘pretty good’ now? If I recall correctly, you didn’t want me to get a big head.” Kris grinned.

Tao gaped at him, he could not believe that Kris remembered that, hell; he didn’t even remember saying that. “Yeah, you were great.”

They were nearly at Kris’s door when Kris said something that made Tao’s stomach flip. “I like you a lot.”

“Sure you do, now let’s get you inside before you start saying more ridiculous things.” Tao brushed off the statement as nothing more than liquor induced blathering.

“No, seriously I do. You’re, like, perfect.” Kris said as they crossed the threshold into the common room.

“Mmhmm, sure.” Tao said as he led Kris to his room and gently pushed him onto it. He reached into his nightstand drawer and spotted a black box. He briefly wondered what it was, but then his attention was grabbed by the continuation of Kris’s drunken tall tales.

“For real though! You’re exactly what I look for in a guy.”

Tao pushed the black box aside and reached for the bottle of Advil and opened it. He dropped two tablets in Kris’s hand and fetched him a glass of water. “Here you go. I’ll see you sometime okay?”

He left Kris’s dorm and headed to his own. His mind was reeling from everything that just happened in the last few minutes. He still wondered what was in the black box, but his in was even more preoccupied by the fact that Kris had just drunkenly confessed to him. Certainly it wasn’t true, but he could not deny the fact that the thought made him smile. The wind had picked up and he wished that he had worn a jacket, but nothing he had went with the outfit he was wearing. He made a mental note to save up some money to go shopping sometime soon. He needed more green in his wardrobe if he was going to be going to games on a weekly basis now.

Once inside, he ran right into Yixing. “Ack!”

“Sorry!” Tao teetered on his feet before Yixing caught him.

“Are you drunk?” Yixing asked, steering Tao to the sofa and planting him there.

“No, just a little buzzed. Kris on the other hand was completely out of it.” Tao said as he pinched the bridge of his nose and leaned back against the couch.

“What makes to say that?” Yixing returned from the kitchen with the same remedy Tao had prepared for Kris just twenty minutes earlier.

“He kept going on about how he likes me and stuff.” Tao swallowed the pills dry and then sipped the water. He took medication so often that he really didn’t need water to help them go down anymore.

“He wasn’t joking. Trust me.” Yixing said and sat down next to Tao. "It doesn’t matter how much he drinks, when it comes to his emotions, he doesn’t play around. They don’t call alcohol liquid confidence for nothing.” He stood up and walked over to his room, lingering in the doorway. “I’m going to bed now. I stayed up to make sure you got back safely, so I’m pretty exhausted.”

Tao stared at his hands. What Kris had told had been true after all? He simply could not believe it, but then again, he went out of his way to include him with the team. So maybe he did. Tao couldn’t be sure. Then his mind brought their conversation at the end of lunch to the forefront. ‘ _Friends go to friends’ houses for Thanksgiving right? Friends also bring friends to special unveilings of art exhibits too. Okay, so they don’t do that, then does that mean he likes me? I – I don’t know. But if what Yixing tells me is true then did he just confess to me? And I brushed him off like it was nothing. Maybe he won’t remember it in the morning.’_   Tao pushed himself to his feet and trudged to his room. His phone lit up on his bed and there was a message on his phone from Baekhyun.

**1:26 am – Finally got my phone back, wanna hang out tomorrow and catch up or something? I’m planning on getting a few friends together and chilling at the karaoke bar if you wanna come?**

Tao stared at the message and wondered how he had not felt his phone vibrate earlier at the bar. Shaking his head, he replied.

**2:48 am – Sounds good to me, who’s going?**

Baekhyun replied instantly and Tao nearly dropped his phone. Kai was going to be there. So was some guy named Kyungsoo, who he had never heard of. He wasn’t too sure he wanted to be in that type of company, but perhaps it was time to start branching out from only the art majors. He stared at the message for a few more minutes before sucking in a deep breath and replying.

**2:53 am – I’ll be there :)**

He and Yixing still needed to work on their art project, but he figured that he’d be okay with them wrapping up a little early. He sank into the comforts of his mattress and placed his phone on his nightstand. The past few hours had been rather interesting.

 

 

////

 

“FUCK!” Baekhyun screamed and slammed his fists down on his desk. It was six in the morning and he was certain that he woke everyone up in their building. There was still no news on the details of the hiatus and Baekhyun had not slept a wink. He spent his time divided between coming up with an idea for Sehun’s date and refreshing the page religiously. He had an idea of what he wanted to happen for Sehun and that brought a wry smile to his face. He refreshed the band’s website once more before leaping up from his chair and stomping out to the common room, where he found Sehun lacing his shoes. “The hell you staring at?”

“Whoa, calm down. What happened?” Sehun said as he rose to his full height and reached for his keys off the hook by the door.

“Wings of Fire is going on hiatus and I don’t know why!” Baekhyun whined as he trudged to the kitchen and poured a steaming cup of coffee. The mug brought warmth to his chilled fingers and the caffeine was making his headache fade. However, nothing could be done for his feelings about the whole thing. All he did last night was make out with Chanyeol, and now the band was in turmoil. He knew it was a long shot, but he blamed himself for it.

“Maybe something came up?” Sehun offered as he stood by the door, clearly wanting to leave, but afraid of leaving Baekhyun alone to his own devices.

Baekhyun stared at Sehun and sipped the coffee. “Obviously. Why else would they go on hiatus?” He knew he was being snippy with him, but his nerves were past frayed and he felt like taking out his frustration on someone, even if that someone was Sehun. He decided that he didn’t want the coffee in his mug anymore and dumped it out before continuing. “I mean really, what could have happened? Did someone die? That’s the only thing I can think of and I already talked to Kyungsoo to make sure Chanyeol was fine, so it wasn’t him, so that leaves Lin and Dongmin and Lin has always been pretty low-key so I think it has to do with Dongmin, but that’s where my mind draws a blank.”

“Look, I’d love to stay here and help you use your detective skills to figure everything out, but I really have to get to work. If I’m late then I have to work overtime and that’ll ruin the whole date thing at noon.” Sehun said as he turned the knob.

Baekhyun stopped him. “Your date was moved to five.” He glanced down at his clothes, he still had not changed from the concert and went to his room to find something more fitting of his school persona. He settled for a white oxford shirt and khaki shorts. He ignored Sehun’s protests and walked to the bathroom to wash his face.

“I swear to God Baekhyun if you don’t answer me I’m going to– ”

“Relax. I changed the time.” Baekhyun said as he patted his face dry with a towel. He checked his reflection once more and then grabbed a pair of glasses and tried them on. He turned his head from side to side and then took them off. ‘ _Not today,’_ he thought and pushed Sehun out of the doorway and began tying his shoelaces.

“Why did you do that?” Sehun spluttered, seeming to have forgotten all about being late to work, which worked well with Baekhyun’s plan.

“I’ll tell you once we get to the coffee shop. You don’t want to be late do you?” He said sweetly before circling his fingers around Sehun’s wrist and dragging him out the door. “But first thing’s first, we have to get to the bottom of this WOF thing.”

“I’m not helping you until you tell me what the hell is going on.” Sehun dug his heels in the ground and Baekhyun had to tug him several times before he kept walking.

“Fine. I changed the time because I planned out a real date for you guys. I already sent the address to your gps in your car, so when you get off work, just swing by and pick up Luhan and follow the directions. You’ll thank me by the time the night is over.”

“But what is it?” Sehun yanked his wrist from Baekhyun’s grip and fell into step beside him.

The entire campus still appeared to be sleeping, so when they arrived at the coffee shop, Baekhyun was surprised to find a few people waiting outside. “You’ll find out. Trust me, it’ll be good.”

He watched as Sehun unlocked the door and let the nearly freezing people inside. They shuffled in, breathing on their hands to warm them. Oddly enough Baekhyun felt fine. The weather was nice to him, but then again, he was used to the cold. He stepped inside after the customers and followed Sehun behind the counter and sat down by the coffee maker.

Sehun quickly took their orders and made them. He apparently had become adept enough to be allowed to handle the early morning shift on his own. Baekhyun watched him pensively. He kept trying to think of all the reasons why the band would have to go on hiatus, especially after they had such an amazing show last night. Feeling around for his phone, Baekhyun sighed again when he realized he left it backstage with Chanyeol.

“Do you have a computer here or something?” Baekhyun asked as Sehun served the last customer.

“No, and I’d give you my phone to check their site if the screen still worked.” He mumbled and began rearranging the ingredients.

“I ordered your replacement last night as well.” Baekhyun said, his eyes trained on the mottled squares of tile on the floor. He wondered why no one ever fixed up the coffee shop. The school was certainly rich enough to do so. It had a constant influx of money from various international students, and from the local people as well. He glanced up to see Sehun gaping at him. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I really hope you and Chanyeol get together, he makes you nicer to me.” Sehun said once he regained use of his vocal chords. He continued putting the ingredients in alphabetical order.

Baekhyun’s expression darkened at that. “I doubt it. I’m sure it was a onetime thing, I mean, I can’t be seen with someone like that in public, the scouts will take one look at him and deem me undesirable for their med schools.” He picked at his nails, they were getting a little too long. He briefly entertained the idea of painting them before shaking his head. With this hiatus, he wouldn’t be doing much aside from schoolwork now. Perhaps he could dabble in selling more drugs, but he was comfortable with the amount of money he received from that.

Sehun stopped arranging the various types of coffee and stared at Baekhyun. “For once, please listen to yourself. You like this guy, he likes you back, you _both_ like each other _more_ than the other can even imagine. Why are you letting something as _stupid_ as scouts get in your way?”

“Because, I have to become a doctor!” Baekhyun shot to his feet, letting his anger seep out of him. “I _have_ to! I don’t _want_ to, but I have to, okay?! I already have enough of a track record from high school, my college transcripts have to be perfect! If I get involved with him, I’ll fail for sure. You wanna know why? Because I’m in love with him. I would throw everything away for him, but I _can’t_. Sehun, I can’t.” What he did not say, was that he was afraid. He was terrified of his feelings for Chanyeol as much as he was electrified by them. He wanted nothing more , but to be with him, but things would not work out for his future if he let himself go down that path.

Sehun frowned and stepped towards Baekhyun and pulled him into a hug. “I’m sorry. I guess I don’t understand.”

Baekhyun hadn’t realized he was crying, until he looked down at Sehun’s shirt and saw the drops of tears on his shoulder. He wiped his eyes and stared at the wetness on his hands. His emotions were certainly messed up over the hiatus. He had been fine with simply kissing Chanyeol the night before. He had been fine with never talking to him again once he got his phone, but now that there was a hiatus, he was not sure how to feel. He felt stupid for letting a band have this much control over his life and he felt hatred for the fact that he could not even live his life the way he wanted. “No, it’s okay. I’m just emotional right now, I should probably just go back to the dorm and do homework or something.”

Sehun frowned. “I can cancel the date with Luhan and hang out with you, if you want?”

“No, someone needs a happy ending, and if it can’t be both of us, then it can at least be you.” He was feeling pretty melodramatic as he said that, wiping his eyes one last time and taking a shuddering breath. He gave him one last look before heading out the door.

He had never felt more lost than he did on that walk back to the dorm. He never had outbursts of emotion like that, especially not ones that left him feeling so vulnerable. Unknowingly, he wrapped his arms around his midsection as he dragged his feet across the pavement, making himself seem even smaller.

Baekhyun gripped the railing of the stairs as he pulled himself up them. He felt crushed, and drained. All he wanted to do was lay down and stare at his ceiling. He wanted to wallow in his mixed emotions and sort them out. He wanted to close his eyes and force all thoughts of his sinking love life out of his mind. He wanted to drown in music, but he knew that listening to it would bring his mind back to WOF, which in turn would bring him back to Chanyeol, and that would in turn lead him to contemplate why he was so afraid of letting him in.

He tugged off his shoes as he walked through the door and flopped onto the sofa. An empty feeling came over him and he stared at the fibers of the seat cushion. He covered his eyes with his wrist and caught a glimpse of the small scars that were finally beginning to fade away. He knew why they were there, he knew he was the one that made them. He also knew that they were the reason why he had to do so well  in college.

_“Baekhyun!” His mother shrieked and pulled him to her chest. “Baekhyun say something!”_

_It was so hard to open his eyes. He felt weak, so very weak. Letting his head loll in her arms, he swallowed with effort and croaked out, “Mom?” His vision swam and suddenly he was staring at his blood drenched wrists. He had had enough of his life and wanted nothing more than to end it._

_“Call 911!” His mother ordered and cradled Baekhyun. "It’s going to be okay sweetie, everything is going to be fine. We’ll get you fixed up and everything okay?”_

_The next thing Baekhyun knew, he was waking up in a hospital room. He stared at the teal blue walls with little drawings of fish on them. He wondered how he got there, when he saw the familiar figure of his mother and father slumped in their seats. A lump welled in his throat and he closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep._

_It was about a week later that he first found out about Wings of Fire. There was something about their lyrics that made him smile, something about the riffs of the guitar that gave him chills, something about the rhythm of the drums that made him nod his head. He never knew their names until the next year, when he attended college, but he would never forget that after he found them, his view on the world had changed._

_In a way, they saved his life, but he would never tell anyone that. While his parents thought it was the medications that had turned his personality around, it was actually his new found love for music. He wanted nothing more than to be a singer of a band, but he knew that could never happen. His parents viewed any profession that was not a doctor or a lawyer as unimportant and lazy. He practically grew up hearing them say that he if did not become one or the other, then he could kiss his future away. He heard them say it so much, that he actually grew to believe it._

 Baekhyun opened his eyes a few hours later and could feel the crook in his neck from sleeping in such an awkward position. “Ugh. That’s the last time I do that.” He rolled over and sat up. “May as well check the site.” He mumbled and forced himself to his feet.

For some reason, his room felt several degrees colder than the common room. He shivered and turned on his laptop. As he scanned the page, his eyes grew wider and wider. Goose bumps erupted on his skin and he felt the events of this morning pale in comparison. Wings of Fire would be holding auditions for a new vocalist next weekend. He only had a week to prepare and he needed a plan.

He was about to get up from his chair when he heard a knock on his door. Thinking it was the delivery guy for Sehun’s new phone, he made his way out of his room.

 

 

~*~

 

Chanyeol stared at Baekhyun’s phone and finally mustered the courage to knock on Jongdae’s door. He needed to find out what dorm Baekhyun was staying in so he could return it. It actually took some convincing from Kyungsoo to realize that Baekhyun would have no way of contacting anyone to even get his phone back in the first place, unless he returned it himself. Besides, he wanted to see him again, and he knew that Baekhyun would not come and find him, considering the fact that he hardly spoke to him in any of their classes anyways.

Thinking of classes, Chanyeol groaned inwardly as he remembered that he had to go to his calculus class later on. He wasn’t bad at math, not by a long shot, he just hated the teacher, so he refused to do any of the assignments out of childish spite. Of course that did not bode too well with his grades, but his grades this semester were already so horrible, that he didn’t even want to try to fix them. Although with the hiatus, he figured he would have more time to actually do his school work.

Jongdae opened the door, his hair mussed and bags under his eyes. “Can I help you?”

Chanyeol almost turned around, but the weight of the phone in his hand stopped him. “Yeah, I need to find out someone’s dorm number.”

Jongdae ran his fingers through his hair and yawned, “Name please?”

Chanyeol felt his cheeks grow warm. “B-byun Baekhyun.” He tried to peek around Jongdae's body, but he was completely blocking the door.

He closed one eye and yawned again. There was a voice from within and he turned to answer, “I’m just taking care of business, I’ll be back in a bit.” He returned his focus to Chanyeol. “He’s in the medical student dormitory, across from yours, in room twenty-seven A. Is that all?”

Chanyeol nodded, “Thank you!” He spun around to leave.

“Yah! That information is not – I said I was coming back,” his tone had changed from upset to gentle in a split second. Without saying another word to Chanyeol, he slunk back in his room.

Chanyeol stared at the door, and then set off towards Baekhyun’s dorm. He wondered if he had class right now, and hoped he didn’t. Baekhyun’s phone vibrated in his hand and he looked at the screen. Kai’s name flashed on it several times before it went blank. He wondered what the message said, but he knew it wasn’t his phone to snoop, so he put it on silent and slipped it into his pocket.

He was halfway to Baekhyun’s dorm, when his own phone rang. He answered it without checking the caller ID. “Hello?”

“Chanyeol I have an idea! Hurry back to the dorm before I have to leave for class!” Kyungsoo chirped on the other end.

Chanyeol stared at the medical student building and sighed. Baekhyun would have to wait a little longer. “I’m on my way now.”

He barely opened the door, when Kyungsoo pulled him after him. “Read this, I have to go, but if you like it, let me know, okay?” He hurried out of Chanyeol’s room and shut the door a little too forcefully.

Chanyeol eased into his chair and read the draft that Kyungsoo typed up for him. It was succinct and covered all the bases, telling just enough about what happened, but not going into detail. He nodded in agreement and then saw the last couple of lines.

**For those that are interested, there will be auditions held for a new singer and bassist next weekend. Stay tuned, for more updates on the location and time. We look forward to meeting you and possibly choosing the next member of WOF!**

“Kyungsoo, you are a genius!” Chanyeol muttered to himself and clicked the ‘post’ button. He had no clue how many people would show up, but he hoped that they’d get a good turnout. With a large group of people to choose from, there would be a higher chance that they would find someone equally, or even more talented than Dongmin.

 

 

~*~

 

Baekhyun thanked the delivery man and placed the box on Sehun’s bed. He knew Sehun would come by after work to pick it up, so he went to his room and flopped on his stomach. He was having second thoughts about auditioning for Wings of Fire. If he got in, could he actually go through with it and be an actual member of the band? And what if his parents found out? As long as he kept his grades up, they would not be too bothered by it. Then again, there would be the countless hours spent around Chanyeol and that thought made him both giddy and sad.

He liked the prospect of being around him, in fact he wanted to be around him. He could see him during practice and actually get to know him. The more he thought about it, the more he wanted to audition and the more he wanted to audition, the more he needed a plan. He bit his lip and rolled onto his back. _‘If I exchange my fan-time for band-time, then I can keep making the same grades, right?’_

“Baek! Hey, Baekhyun! Is my phone – never mind, I found it!” Sehun yelled as he entered their dorm. There was a loud rustling sound and then a couple of beeping sounds that  grew louder as Sehun approached his room. “Thank again for ordering my replacement.”

“You’re welcome.” Baekhyun sat up and grinned at Sehun.

“You seem…happy. What happened?” He flipped the phone over and removed the back and placed the SIM card inside of it. He then snapped it shut and turned it off and on.

“They’re holding auditions for a new singer! Sehun, this is my chance. I think I can make this work out as long as I give up the time I spent being a fan and use it for being in the band.” Baekhyun exclaimed.

“And what about Chanyeol? Are you going to date him?” Sehun smiled down at the new phone and kissed it. “Ah, a screen I can read!”

“You’re weird. And I don’t know…maybe if I can convince him to keep it under wraps?” He bit his lip again. If he could somehow make Chanyeol okay with hiding their relationship, then he was safe right? But, then again, if he was in a band, then wouldn’t that make getting into medical school less likely? However, that was not entirely true, according to his recent research, more medical schools were turning to those that were more artistically inclined when it came to scouting, so wouldn’t being in a band be an asset and not a liability? If that was the case, then there was no use in hiding the relationship with Chanyeol. Still, Baekhyun was uncertain, maybe if they kept things under the radar until the scouting season was over, then he’d be willing to show the whole world their relationship. But as of right now, neither of them was in a relationship with the other, so in the end it really didn’t matter.

“Do what you have to do, but make sure that you’re happy, okay? Seeing you like that earlier kind of shocked me.” Sehun admitted and then frowned slightly. “I have to go pick up Luhan now, I really hope whatever you planned goes well.” There was an underlying threat beneath those words, but Baekhyun ignored it. He still needed a plan.

There was another knock on his door after Sehun had left and Baekhyun found himself laughing at the thought of Sehun returning because he forgot his keys. The kid had a knack for making dramatic exits, less dramatic that way.

“Sehun if you forgot your keys ag-” He stopped midsentence, words choking off as his knees became weak. His vision swam before him and he braced himself against the doorframe.

 

 

~*~

 

Chanyeol tapped his pencil on his blank notebook. Time could not pass more slowly than it was right now. Not only did he hate this class, but he hated the time as well. It was in that awkward slot, not quite afternoon, not quite evening, and most certainly not the time to be taking a class. Particularly when Baekhyun’s phone still was in his pocket. He sighed for the tenth time that class and tried to think of what he was going to say to Baekhyun when he returned his phone. He did not want to seem creepy, by showing up to his dorm unannounced, especially since he was not supposed to know where his dorm was. _‘Ugh, can this get any more boring? I already know how to do all of this stuff!’_ He whined in his head as he scribbled circles onto his paper. Somehow those circles ended up morphing into someone’s name.

Byun Baekhyun.

Chanyeol frowned at his paper. He was restless and had been since last night. He absolutely hated the fact that he was wasting his time in this class, when he could be doing better things, like watching the video submissions for the audition, which started flowing in the second he made a post about people being able to audition by those means. Even better, he could be on his way to Baekhyun’s dorm, or inside of it, picking up where they left off.

He pursed his lips and sighed again. The teacher gave him another dirty look. “If this class bores you so much, Mr. Park, by all means, leave.”

Chanyeol shoved his notebook in his backpack. He knew that by the time midterms came around that he’d stun his teachers with his scores. He was an excellent test taker and since he knew all the material, it really did not make sense for him sit through these classes when he didn’t need to. “My pleasure.” He retorted as he walked out the door.

Instantly his mood picked up and he found himself grinning. Not even the long walk across campus dampened his sudden great mood. He was able to leave his calculus class early, and he would be able to see Baekhyun. He could not think of any other way the day could improve.

After stopping by his dorm to drop off his backpack and noting that Kyungsoo still had not returned, he quickly made his way to Baekhyun's dorm. His heart hammered in his chest as he neared the turn for the hall. Each step rang loudly in his ears as the numbers increased.

23

25

27

He stood in front of Baekhyun's door and hesitated. ‘ _What if he isn’t there? Or worse, what if he is here, but he did not want to see me?’_ Chanyeol squashed the thought to the back of his mind. He took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

When Baekhyun opened the door, he was in the middle of saying something, but the second their eyes met, he swayed heavily towards the doorframe. “Not again.” Chanyeol whispered and reached out to steady Baekhyun. “Hey, take a deep breath, it’s okay.”

Baekhyun looked up at him and his eyes rolled back in his head. He passed out for the third time since meeting Chanyeol. He would have slumped to the floor, had the taller not caught him in time. Sighing as he half carried him to the sofa, Chanyeol spoke, “If you pass out every time we see each other, then how will we ever talk?” He stroked his hair and examined his face. There was a freckle right above his lip. Entranced, Chanyeol leaned closer.

Baekhyun’s eyes shot open and he gasped. “Oh my God!”

Chanyeol bolted backwards. “Sorry, I was just looking at your freckle! I didn’t do anything!.”

“How did you find out where I live?” Baekhyun’s eyes were still wide and he scrambled away from Chanyeol.

“I asked Jongdae. I only wanted to return your phone to you, I swear.” He held his hands up in surrender. Keeping one hand still raised, he pulled Baekhyun’s phone from his back pocket. “See?”

Baekhyun slowly reached out and took his phone. “Thank you.” He stared at the screen and then a huge grin bloomed on his face. He replied to whatever made him smile like that and then looked at Chanyeol curiously.

“I’ll get going.” He stood up, feeling somewhat crestfallen and pursed his lips.

“Stay, please.” Baekhyun’s voice was hardly above a whisper.

Chanyeol froze and stared at him. He sat back down and watched as Baekhyun kept his gaze trained on the wall in front of him. They sat in silence for a few moments before Baekhyun finally spoke. “I heard about the hiatus.”

Chanyeol blinked. He had forgotten that this Baekhyun was the same one that nearly seduced him last night. He looked different, less vixen-like, more vulnerable. He liked it. Of course he liked Baekhyun however he looked, he could grow a second head and Chanyeol would not be fazed. “Yeah some crazy things happened.”

“But it was nothing too bad right? He’s not dead or anything major like that?” Baekhyun was still staring at the wall.

It was odd to see how concerned he was about the band’s wellbeing. Whenever he spoke to fans they always asked when they would have a new album coming out, or when their next show was. Very few actually cared that the members were people that had lives and drama. He peeked at Baekhyun from the corner of his eye. The smaller man had stopped hugging his knees and even moved closer so that there were only a few centimeters between their hands. His face was relatively blank, but his eyes told Chanyeol everything he needed to know. At that moment, he wondered what exactly the band meant to him.

Taking his hand, Chanyeol answered in his deep baritone voice, “No he’s not dead, it’s serious, but not life threatening. He just needs to sort his life out.”

Their eyes met and a charge went through Chanyeol. The entire situation finally dawned on him. Here he was, sitting in Baekhyun’s dorm, talking to him as if he was more than just a fan. He realized in that moment that he wanted him to be more than just his fan. Baekhyun had many sides to him, only two of which Chanyeol had experienced and he wanted to know them all, no matter how dark or messed up they may be.

He chose that moment to lean in closer, his hand winding through the soft brown strands while the other laced their fingers. He ghosted his lips over Baekhyun’s and then pressed their foreheads against each other. Just being near him, this close, was more than enough to satisfy him. He was surprised when Baekhyun wrapped his arms around his shoulders and kissed him deeply. There was so much emotion behind it and Chanyeol could taste it. He could feel his fear, his anger, his need, and he wanted to soothe all of that. He wanted to be the one that made everything okay for Baekhyun. He wanted to be his shield and his sword.

He pulled him onto his lap, hands trembling slightly, trying to be as gentle as possible. He didn’t want to speak, he wanted the moment to continue, to turn into more than just moment, to turn into a lifetime. No one ever made him feel that way. It was new and he relished it. He just wished that he had done something earlier, he wished he had made a move when he first saw him. For now, he was content in simply holding him against his chest, cradling him, comforting him. He had no idea what Baekhyun was thinking, what he had been through, but he knew that right now, he needed someone to be there for him.

Baekhyun sighed and then captured Chanyeol’s lips with his own once more. This time they felt desperate. His hands roamed his chest, faltering at the hem, before slipping underneath. His mouth was urgent then, tongue prodding Chanyeol’s lip, begging for entrance, which he was granted. There was no need to battle for dominance, their kisses simply melted one another into a semblance of equality. Both filled with as much desire as the other, both needing as much as the other.

Those long elegant fingers made light scratches down Chanyeol’s chest. He shuddered and pulled him closer, until they were pressed completely against one another. He was heady with longing, filled with an exploding want for them to be even closer, but he reigned it in. He broke the kiss first, nearly gasping for air, eyes closed and lips still parted. “Where have you been all my life?” He whispered, not entirely intending for Baekhyun to hear him.

Baekhyun ran his thumbs over Chanyeol’s cheeks, his touch feather light. There were so many thoughts behind those eyes, conflicting thoughts, and he visibly battled them. He climbed off of him, without answering, but that was an answer in and of itself, and curled into Chanyeol’s side. His expression was pained, confused, and contemplative at the same time. He bit his lip, those kiss swollen lips, and shook his head.

“Hey, it’s alright, everything is going to be okay.” Chanyeol said. He did not what he was saying that for – the band or whatever personal problems Baekhyun was having – but the words rang true. At that, Baekhyun smiled, it was small and unsure, but it was a smile nonetheless.

They spent the next few hours sitting on the sofa watching the television and then making out. When they spoke, it was trivial things, like what had just happened on the show or some school gossip. When they did not speak, Chanyeol watched Baekhyun. He watched him slowly relax, slowly become this new side he was now privy to experience.

It wasn’t until the door opened, around midnight, and Sehun walked in, when Chanyeol decided it was time for him to go. They shared a look, one that said ‘don’t go’, and finally Baekhyun stood up and led him to the door. “See you in class?”

Chanyeol grinned. It seemed that they were making some progress after all. “Yeah, see you in class.”

He left, feeling his heart swell. Whatever had passed just then made some leeway in their budding relationship. Chanyeol knew, more than anything that he wanted to be with Baekhyun. He just hoped the feeling was mutual and that they were not simply a fling. His mind was filled with these thoughts as he walked the short distance to the dorm.

He opened the door to find Kyungsoo standing in the middle of the common room, biting his lip, deep in thought. He wondered what happened. “Are you okay?”

It was a long moment before he answered. “I think so.” He was staring at the floor, his face told the exact opposite of his words.

Chanyeol did not press him for information, instead he sat down and patted the sofa next to him. “I want to ask you something.”

Kyungsoo sat down and looked at him. “Yes?”

His mind went back to Baekhyun, not that they ever really left him, and sighed. “How do you know when you’re in love?”

Kyungsoo balked at him. “I-I wouldn’t know…I’ve never been in love.”

Chanyeol pursed his lips, “Okay, then I have another question.” Kyungsoo stared at him and Chanyeol grabbed his hands. “Would you audition?”

“No.” Kyungsoo shook his head and then laughed. “I thought you were going to ask something entirely different just then.”

Chanyeol laughed too, “That was the point.” At least now Kyungsoo was smiling. Feeling accomplished with himself he settled back against the cushions. “Why though?”

Kyungsoo pushed himself to his feet. "It’s not my kind of lifestyle, little too much spotlight for me.” He started walking towards the bathroom. “I’m going to get ready for bed, I’ve had a long day.”

“Alright then, get some rest, I’m going to watch some of those videos people sent in.” Chanyeol stood and ambled to his room. He pulled his phone from his pocket and scrolled to Baekhyun’s name. He wanted to talk to him, but he did not know that he even had his number. He sunk into the chair and powered up his laptop, tapping his desk idly, and began scrolling through the videos. There were already fifty of them. He clicked on the first one, and leaned back to watch.

 

 

~*~

 

Baekhyun continued cutting the vegetables. “He just showed up with my phone.”

“At midnight?” Sehun asked as he watched Baekhyun prepare their meal.

“No, right after you left.” He dumped the contents of the cutting board into the pot and put the lid over it.

“So what did you guys do until I showed up?” He slid from the chair and walked over to the fridge to grab something to drink.

Baekhyun felt his face grow warm. “A little of this, a little of that. Nothing major.” Chanyeol’s words echoed in his head. It was as though he knew Baekhyun was conflicted by the whole situation. Somehow he became the voice of reason in those few moments after he regained consciousness. He knew there was no denying their connection. But, by God, did it hurt to kiss him knowing he could never truly be with him. He felt a wry smile twist his lips and sighed. Why did his life have to be so complicated?

“Hmm, whatever, as long as you guys are together I’m fine.”

“We’re not, but before you say anything, I am going to try it, although I going to tell him, when the time comes, that there will be no labels, that way if I have to end it, then it won’t be so hard.” Baekhyun said.

Sehun joined him by the stove and lifted the lid. He sniffed the air and then closed it. “That’s better than nothing.”

Baekhyun nodded. Then his mind went back to the audition. “Hey, would you do me a favor?”

“Depends.”

“Would you help me practice for the audition?” Baekhyun asked, knowing that Sehun would say no.

“What audition?” Sehun sipped his drink.

“The audition for Wings of Fire.” Baekhyun stirred the stew and then turned the burner down, it would need to simmer for a few minutes.

“Nope. No can do. Luhan and I have plans.” He tried to keep his voice neutral, but the pink tinge on his cheeks gave him away.

“So my date worked out for you?” Baekhyun raised an eyebrow. His mind was already thinking of possible people he could use to help him. Kyungsoo still owed him a favor, and Kai would owe him quite a few, now that he was going to need tutoring in chemistry again. Then there was Tao, who he had not seen in a while. Yes, those three would work out just fine.

Sehun refused to answer him and instead took down two bowls from the cabinet. He grabbed the ladle and served them both and brought the food to the common room, where they both sank to the floor in front of the coffee table.

“Fine, don’t tell me, but I will say one thing,” He paused, “I told you so!”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Sehun answered, his ears were still tinted pink as he began eating.

Baekhyun shook his head. Sometimes his roommate could be adorably stubborn. He had just tasted his first spoonful when his phone rang in his room. He knew that ringtone. Groaning he pushed himself to his feet and padded to his room. He grabbed the phone and answered it gruffly. “What do you want?”

“They found him dead.”

Baekhyun blanched. “Who?”

“The Packrat, had three bullets right through his head. It was some type of police sting. I’d lay low for a while.” The caller hung up.

_‘Shit.’_ He got most of his supplies from the Packrat. He pursed his lips and glared at the wall. He would lay low for a while, only supplying his ‘dogs’ with the lesser drugs. As long as his supply house was fine, everything would work out in the end, besides with the audition coming up, one less thing to worry about would be beneficial. He tossed the work phone back in the closet and then pulled out his personal phone and sent a group text to Kyungsoo, Kai, and Tao.

When he returned, Sehun raised an eyebrow and Baekhyun glowered over his bowl. “The Packrat is dead.”

“What the hell? How?” Sehun gaped.

“I don’t know, some type of police sting.” He shoved a spoonful of stew in his mouth.

“I think it’s time you stop Baekhyun. They’re getting closer and closer to you.” Sehun’s face was creased with worry.

“I can’t yet, I’m so close to having enough to pay off all my loans _and_ med school.” He only needed about a good solid month of returns and then he could stop, although part of him enjoyed it. There was a rush.

“Baek, this is dangerous territory, for your sake and mine, stop.” Sehun grabbed both of their now empty bowls and brought them to the kitchen.

“I’m fine, they’re not close yet.” Baekhyun settled down on the sofa, the same one he was with Chanyeol on only about an hour ago.

“If you make it in the band, there will be people snooping around in your history. People find things, Baekhyun, you’ll put everyone in danger. You’ll be putting Chanyeol in danger, think about it.” Sehun said as he leaned against his doorframe.

“Dammit Sehun. Fine, I’ll stop, I’ll cut off all my ties.” He threw his hands in the air. “I just need to get rid of the last of my supplies first.”

“How much do you have left?”

“About two months’ worth in the safe-house.  And about a weeks’ worth in my closet. I wasn’t planning on selling my closet stock yet, I hadn’t gotten into the ecstasy market yet, but I guess now I can’t.” Baekhyun grit his teeth. He knew it was stupid to be mad over such a thing. In fact, his mind had not been on drugs since he met Chanyeol, and oddly enough that relieved some of his stress. But Sehun was right, if he did not stop soon, then he would put the band in jeopardy.

“Just transfer it. Get rid of the stuff Baekhyun, if word gets around about the Packrat, then the administration will send in the sniffers. Catching you would be the single greatest shock for the school.” Sehun said.

“Fine, tomorrow, I’ll get rid of my closet stock, but the safe-house stuff I need for my account. They can’t trace it to me, I made sure of that.”

“No, you get rid of it tonight.” Sehun pulled out his phone and dialed a number. He spoke quietly for a few moments and then hung up. “Where is it in your closet?”

“I’ll get it.” Baekhyun frowned as he made his way back to his room. He moved his clothes aside and opened the false back and pulled out the bag. He knew he still had the sample in his drawer, but those were for personal use and he was going to try them out no matter what. He turned and found Sehun behind him. He thrusted the bag towards him and then sat on his bed. “What are you going to do with it.”

“Remember that bouncer?” Sehun said as he looked through the bag.

“Yeah, what about him?” Baekhyun flopped on his back, pinching his nose. He now had a headache strong enough to kill a small mammal.

“He got me out of the circle, he can wipe you out as well.” He turned and left with the bag.

Baekhyun waited until he heard the door close before rolling over and opening his drawer. He wouldn’t be using the pills for a while. He stared at the small packet. There were only four of them. Surely, these four won’t be missed. He placed them back in his drawer and then stared at his ceiling. This had been a day of change. So many things happened.

He thought of Chanyeol and sighed. He had a sinking feeling he was going to break both of their hearts in the end. The one guy, he would throw his life away for, would be the one he hurt the most. He knew it. He just hoped he could figure out a way to stop himself before he did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long time no see...sorry for the super long wait :/ Life got really hectic and I wasn't able to write at all. I finally had a four day weekend so I wrote this 15k! Part two will be up soon (hopefully) so thank you so much for being patient and sticking with this fic! It really means a lot to me when you guys comment, and I love talking to you all! You are all very nice :3 The next chapter will be HunHan and Kaisoo so look forward to it!


	10. Resonance pt. 2

Luhan rested his head on his hand, staring out the window. Today was the big day, and he was anxious. His focus was completely preoccupied with what he hoped Sehun had planned for later on, so much so, that he had tuned out his instructor’s lesson. He was sitting in one of his favorite classes, and yet not an inkling of attention was paid.

He watched as the autumn leaves swirled to the ground, sun kissing them as they fell. It was practically in slow motion and he was entranced. He glanced away as soon as his teacher cleared his throat and felt the blush creep into his cheeks. He had been spacing out a lot recently and he knew that he was going to be chided for it.

He shifted in his seat until his back was turned to the window and tried his best to listen to whatever it was his teacher was saying. Normally he would have been caught up in the discussion, offering his opinion on the way current business affairs were handled and how they should be handled, but his voice was painfully absent.

Everyone turned to face him, questioning looks on their faces. Luhan inwardly cursed, the teacher had asked him a question and he had no idea what it was. He cleared his throat, “Would you repeat the question, sir?”

The teacher pursed his lips and then sighed. “With the current world economy in the condition that it is, what do you think would remedy the situation? Some of your classmates have already offered their input, and since you always seem to have such keen ideas, I’d like to hear what you have to say.”

Luhan stared down at his notebook; his neat scrawl was packed tightly onto the lines. His mind raced, trying to come up with a suitable answer, but his thoughts kept travelling back to Sehun, and whatever he had planned. Shaking his head, he opened his mouth to respond and then promptly closed it, only to open it once more. “I think…that we should let it fix itself.” It was not the answer he would have given, had he been paying attention, he knew that and so did his teacher. Judging by the look on said instructor’s face, it was not what he wanted to hear at all.

Luhan grimaced at his notes and refused to elaborate. If he had heard what his classmates had said, he could have played off their ideas, formulating his own from their flaws, and offering a rather sound plan. It was what he had been trained to do from a child. Years of sitting in on meetings with his father gave him experience that his classmates never had. He knew how the big guys operated and he knew what they thought. It was no mistake that although he was an art major, he had double majored in business as well. It was his fallback option, should his actual dream job not come through.

Oddly enough, the teacher gave him a long stare before agreeing with him. “Actually, he may be correct in this. All of the recent attempts at fixing the global economy have failed thus far, so perhaps waiting it out may be the best option.” He continued speaking but Luhan tuned him out.

His business class was one of the few he made himself act serious in. He held back the light-hearted cheery persona he embodied so naturally, and instead put forth a professional persona. It was the reason why his business notebooks were devoid of his usual doodles, and the reason his teacher was so caught off guard by his recent lack of attention. Truthfully, Luhan could not wait for class to be over, so that he could settle back into what he was most comfortable in being – himself.

His mind travelled back to Sehun and he sighed. The boy always seemed so serious, so perhaps instead of the quirky date to the local carnival he had been idly day dreaming about, he would take him on a serious date. Maybe to a fancy restaurant, or high class club. Maybe he would wear a tuxedo. Luhan practically drooled at the thought. Sehun in a tuxedo was an enticing image. He wondered briefly how he would act on such a date. The more he thought about, the farther away his class seemed, until he could no longer see it before his eyes.

_They were sitting in a posh limousine, driven by some foreign chauffer. The building loomed in the distance, a structure of purpose, poise, and reeking of money. Luhan knew that once they left the comforts of the plush seats that all eyes would be set on them. They were the newest force to be reckoned with._

_LU EXPORTS had recently named him CEO, as his father had stepped down, and he was planning on celebrating it with the man of his dreams on his arm. He gave Sehun a sidelong glance, full of adoration and longing, before clasping his hands in his. It was already five years in the future and after the failure of his silly little dream of being a successful manga author; he had stepped up to the plate and took full responsibility of the family company._

_Sehun squeezed his hand in reassurance. “Everything will be fine, after all this is the welcoming dinner.” The silver band on his ring finger gleamed as the lights from the building filtered through the tinted windows. They had finally arrived._

_The door swung open and they both stepped out and walked with purpose towards the doors. Once inside, there was a collective hush. All eyes on them, waiting anxiously, for whatever Luhan would say._

_Luhan grinned, “I have arrived.” He paused and made a sweeping motion with his hands, “ Let the celebration begin.”_

_There was an applause and soon smooth jazz music tinkled from the stage. They were ushered to a private booth, where their meals had just been placed, steaming and fresh. Luhan slid into his seat across from Sehun and smiled. “The joining of our companies seems to be well received so far.”_

_“Relax,” Sehun returned the smile and began slicing into a tender steak. “Of course it would be well received.” He raised the fork to his lips and tasted the slightly pink meat._

_Luhan watched him before he lifted his own utensils and began cutting into his meal. “So, remember the conversation we were having earlier?”_

_Sehun paused but then nodded._

_“I never told you what I had wanted to be, back in college,” He brought the steak to his mouth and chewed thoughtfully, savoring the rich flavors. “God that seems like so long ago.”_

_Sehun chuckled, but said nothing. It seemed that when they had begun the merge of their companies that he had returned to speaking very little, if at all. While they slept together most of the time, there were those nights that they could hardly look at each other. Luhan knew this was not what love was supposed to be like, but then again, their marriage had been one of necessity after his father’s heart attack._

_“Back before I had my sense knocked into me, I dreamed of being a manga artist, silly huh?” Luhan laughed as he reached for the glass of wine to his right._

_Sehun frowned. “Good thing that didn’t come to fruition, or we would probably be scrounging around on the streets. Well, at least you would be…”_

Luhan winced and drew a shaky breath. That was not a future he hoped for, not at all. When his gaze fell on the expecting faces of his classmates, he knew his teacher had asked him another question. Once again he had not been paying attention, so he sighed and asked for the question to be repeated.

After class had ended, he was asked to remain to speak to his teacher. “I’m concerned about your recent behavior.”

Luhan stared at his feet, “I know. I’m just a little preoccupied that’s all.”

“Well, get rid of whatever is bothering you. A bright mind like yours is greatly needed in this field.” He teacher replied.

Luhan nodded his head and scurried out of the room. He was feeling pretty low. He knew that the mini daydream he had was stemming from his own concerns for his future and whether or not Sehun actually liked him. The only evidence he had had thus far was last night when they spent a few hours talking. He had learned quite a bit about him, but not enough to be able to read him. In fact he had never been great at reading people in general. It was probably why he had his heart broken so many times before. Keeping that cheery persona that was so natural to him suddenly felt like the weight of the world. He guessed his mood stemmed from his own insecurities. Funnily, it was the way he had been feeling when the whole date had been initially set up.

Slowing his pace, Luhan stared at the message he saved from Sehun. It was nearly noon now and he felt like crap. He glanced up to see a couple of girls walking by carrying bubble tea in their hands and a sudden idea dawned in his head.

 

~*~

 

Sehun watched as Baekhyun left the coffee shop. In the two years that he had known him, he had never seen him so broken before. Sure he had seen him strung out, high out of his head, under intense pressure, but never once had he seen him cry. He always assumed that Baekhyun was this pillar of strength, this almost inhuman machine that did what he had to do to get things done.

When he found out that he was in the drug circle, it did not surprise him, for everything about Baekhyun had stopped surprising him by that point. So when he asked him to join that circle, he had no idea just how deep he had gone. Just how far he went to get what he wanted out of it. It was that darkness that Baekhyun hid from everyone else. The darkness that he had seen from the beginning and the darkness that he had accepted. Hell, he even accepted the strange ways Baekhyun acted when he was happy. He knew somewhere deep inside of his roommate that there were skeletons that he did not know about. He wondered if somehow that band had anything to do with them. It had to if Baekhyun was this upset over the hiatus.

Then there was the fact that he was holding himself back from being with the only person Sehun had known to make him out-of-his-mind-happy. He did not buy into the whole future thing. He knew it was an excuse that Baekhyun had fooled himself into believing, he just wondered what the actual reason was. It was probably something deeply buried if Baekhyun had gone through the trouble of making himself believe those lies.

Sehun laughed bitterly, and wondered when he had become so jaded. He supposed it was from his childhood. He knew his parents were to blame for his personality. That cold exterior, those carefully controlled expressions, and the overall pessimism. He knew it was the fact that they were so robotic that left him to adopt their ways at times.

It took so much of him to let himself be exposed, down to the rawness that he had just seen before him. Yet, as his mind travelled to thoughts of Luhan, he knew that there had to be some reason why he opened up to him last night. It could have been that open expression, the eager to listen, the ready to please, expression.

Sehun pursed his lips. If his parents knew that he was pursuing Luhan they would applaud him for being proactive and setting up a future business deal. Too bad that was not what he had in mind. In fact, as the thought crossed his mind, he resolved to actually give Luhan a chance, if only to rub it in their faces that he had no interest in Luhan’s prospects.

It was thoughts of that nature that he was toying with when the bell above the door jingled and the person in mind walked through, carrying two bubble teas in his hands and a bright smile on his face. Sehun’s gaze darted from his hands to his face and he almost thought he imagined the flash behind his eyes. For some reason that made him smile.

He walked from behind the counter and pulled the apron over his head. “Hey Luhan.” He said, his voice carefully neutral as he flipped the sign from ‘open’ to ‘closed’. A lunch break was much needed.

“I know you said you had to work late, so I brought you a treat!” He placed the drinks down on a table near the door and looked at him expectantly.

Sehun sat down and pulled one close to him. “Thank you. I was actually about to go on my lunch break, so you have perfect timing.” He let his glance slid over to Luhan’s hand on the table before flicking them back up to his eyes. The slight blush in his cheeks made him grin. He was so adorable to Sehun at that moment.

Luhan brought the straw to his mouth and scanned the coffee shop. He seemed to be looking everywhere but Sehun and that made the younger want to inch his hand closer to his. He was contemplating it; when he felt soft fingers brush his. He glanced up at Luhan and felt his own face heating as the blush deepened on Luhan’s face. Neither said anything for a few moments, in fact Luhan had placed his drink back on the table and was still avoiding Sehun’s gaze.

Sehun remained frozen, unsure how to react exactly, and cleared his throat. When he felt the fingers start to pull away, he reached out and stopped them. Shocked at his own reflex, he froze again. His heart was thudding in his chest and he worried that soon his palms would sweat and Luhan would feel them. He tried to calm his nerves, and finally spoke, “So…”

Luhan finally met his eyes, his own widened, and smiled slightly. “Yeah?”

_‘Ugh this is so awkward!’_ Sehun thought and tried to come up with something to break the silence that was thickening. Their hands were still clasped and he could help but revel in their softness. “Do you, uh…” He trailed off again.

Luhan searched his face and leaned forward as if he was trying to coax whatever Sehun was scrambling to think of, to come out. When he still had not said anything, he broke the silence instead. “How’s your roommate?”

_‘Shit.’_ Sehun tried to think of a way to skirt around the subject of Baekhyun. “He’s fine.”

“Oh, okay.” Luhan said and then started to reach for his drink once more.

Sehun swallowed the urge to lean across the table. He could not figure out why he suddenly wanted to kiss him, and was having a hard time keeping it under control. Maybe it had to do with the fact that he had a different air to him right then. It was not the same tireless peppiness, no, there was a slight edge to it and that drew Sehun in more than he would like to admit. Then again it could have to do with the fact that he finally lifted the barrier he forced up when they first met. Or even the fact that he wanted to wave their relationship in his parent’s faces. There were too many reasons that suddenly surfaced and he hoped that whichever one caused these sudden feelings was the most genuine, because he had no intentions to use Luhan. Not after witnessing the way Kai was using that Kyungsoo guy at the concert.

He bit his lip and then pulled his hand away. His thoughts were clearer almost instantly, and he settled back, drink in one hand, while the other rested firmly on his side of the table. Now that he could think properly, he sipped his bubble tea before asking, “So, who do you usually hang around with?”

If it was the sudden lack of contact, or the question, that shocked Luhan, Sehun did not know, but as Luhan slowly answered he supposed it was a mix of the two. “Um, I kind of bounce around…I mean, there’s Kai  and I’ve known him since we were babies practically, and then there’s the other art majors, as well as my roommate and his boyfriend. Why do you ask?”

“That makes sense,” Sehun whispered to himself. So Luhan was not friends with the jerk because they were similar, but more so because they knew each other for so long. He could accept that, and yet, he still wondered if Luhan knew that he was using that Kyungsoo kid. Then again, it was not his business to worry about, other than the bet he made with Baekhyun. As much as he did not want to see someone get hurt, he had no desire to lose five hundred dollars, not that he was expecting to anyways. He smiled at Luhan and answered him, “No reason.”

Luhan regarded him suspiciously, before asking him the same question. “And you?”

Sehun had not expected for the spotlight to turn on him, so he took a moment to guard his expression before responding. “I mostly keep to myself, but other than Baekhyun, there is a business major I sometimes talk to, his name is Junmyeon.”

“Oh, I know him! He’s with Yixing right?” Luhan chirped. He had finished his bubble tea by now.

“I don’t know…I guess?” Sehun said. He never really talked about personal matters with anyone other than Baekhyun, so he was not too well versed in the relationships of his peers.

“That’s probably him.” Luhan shrugged. “You don’t seem like the gossiping type, so can I get a hint of what you have planned for us later?” He tilted his head to the side, his eyes playful.

“No can do.” Sehun smiled. "It’s a surprise.” He hoped Baekhyun had not let him down. If he did, then he was in for a rude awakening once the date was over. As soon as the thought passed through his head, Sehun winced. Baekhyun was in no state to be reprimanded and Sehun was not the type to kick someone when they were down.

Luhan seemed to take that as a proper response and smiled. “Fair enough.” He pulled out his phone and glanced at the time. “I’ve kept you for too long, and I have another class in a few minutes.”

They both stood at the same time and Sehun walked him to the door, completely aware that his hand was on the small of Luhan’s back and that he was blushing deeply because of that. “Alright, see you at five then.” He gave him a slight shove as he opened the door.

He watched as Luhan walked away, albeit dazedly, and smiled to himself. If this date went well, then he would be happy. He thought back to what Baekhyun had said and decided that he would try his best, not only for himself, but for his roommate as well.

 

 

~*~

 

Luhan chewed on the eraser of his pencil. He glanced down at the margins of his notes. He had drawn dozens of little Sehuns there. One was licking a lollipop and another was sipping bubble tea. There was one that he had sitting in a small field of flowers with his eyes closed. He smiled down at them and then looked back up at his teacher. She was explaining to them that graphic design was not all about becoming the next great artist. Luhan tuned her out. He heard this speech almost every day from her. He knew she was lecturing the slackers in the class and quite honestly it was not directed at him.

He could not stop thinking about how Sehun had grabbed his hand back at the café. Or the fact that he touched him on the small of his back. His mind was reeling, he could not figure out why he was so touchy all of a sudden. Although he did not let himself dawdle on the whys and instead let the fact that Sehun seemed to like him, ease his earlier anxiety.

Halfway through the class period, he glanced down once more and found that he had doodled on at least five pages of loose leaf. The faint blue lines of the paper became little barriers as he drew another Sehun inching across the page. He snickered at the image before a shadow fell over him. He glanced up to see his teacher smiling down at him.

“Looks promising.”

Luhan felt the heat blossoming over his face as he tried to cover the one he drew of them kissing on the corner of the page. “Uh, yeah.”

She patted him on the back and moved on to another student. Luhan let out the breath he had not realized he was holding. He stared down at his paper and then folded it in half and shut the notebook. As he was placing it back in his backpack the stark contrast between his business notebooks and his other class’ notebooks brought him back to his previous daydream. He shuddered and pushed it away. Now that Sehun had shown him some semblance of his feelings towards him, he had hope.

The rest of his class was uneventful and he soon found himself barely holding himself back from skipping to his dorm. He threw open the door and yelled, “Minnie! You won’t believe what happened!” He tossed his backpack on the chair and pranced to Minseok’s room and barged in.

Minseok was sitting cross legged on the floor, leaning over a textbook and chatting with Jongdae on the phone. “I’ll call you back.” He hung up and then turned to Luhan and raised an eyebrow.

Luhan joined him on the ground and then promptly flopped on his back. “He likes me!” He hummed to himself.

“I told you so.” Minseok nudged him with his foot playfully.

Luhan opened one eye at him and then poked the perpetrating foot. “Yeah, I know. I guess I was just feeling awful last night.”

Minseok closed his textbook and pushed it a few feet away. “So are you going to tell me what happened?”

Luhan sat up, his hair bouncing as he did so, and beamed. He proceeded to tell Minseok of the daydream he had, feeling a lot less worried about it as he was able to work his way through the meaning behind it. He figured that he was simply worried about the date ending poorly and of his future. Oddly enough, none of that ever plagued him until recently. He could not figure out why he was now thinking of where he would be in the future, so he put that aside for another day.

When he told Minseok about their mini date at the coffee shop he could not help but notice the way Minseok’s face tightened slightly. Again, he wondered if everything was okay with him and Jongdae, but he did not voice his concerns. He knew he was gushing about Sehun, and was honestly enjoying it. There was a difference between talking to Kai and Minseok about things like this.

His roommate had knowledge of how people acted in long term relationships and the nuances as well, especially since they had been together for longer than anyone Luhan knew. So when Minseok told him he should try not to act so enamored so quickly, he understood. “Of course I don’t act like a school girl around him. I’m more dignified than that!”

Minseok rolled his eyes, “Sure.” He leaned back, placing his hands behind him and glanced at his phone, “What time is your actual date?”

Luhan felt himself blushing at the word ‘date’. He was somewhat unnerved that Sehun had this strong of an effect on him, but then again, this was the first time he actually was pursuing someone that he liked first, and not the other way around. "It’s at five, why?”

"It’s three now, I’m going to head over to Dae’s and make sure he takes a break from all the coding.” Minseok pushed himself to his feet and then offered his hand to Luhan.

“Alright, see you later then.” He smiled as he left Minseok’s room. Now he needed to find something to entertain him for two hours.

 

 

~*~

 

Sehun quickly sent Luhan a message letting him know he was on his way. He was halfway down the hallway, when he realized he had no clue where Luhan was staying. Pulling out his newly replaced phone, he called him. It rang twice before Luhan picked up. “Uh, I forgot to ask where you live…”

“Oh, no problem! I live in the common dorm, room four-eighteen.” Luhan said. He sounded quite busy on his end.

“Okay, I’ll be there in a bit.” Sehun replied and pressed the end button. The common dorm was actually the complete opposite of its name. It often filled up before the registration for the college began. He actually wanted to dorm there when he first came to the college two years ago. However that did not happen and so he ended up with Baekhyun as a roommate, in the medical student dorm instead. Not that he was complaining, he actually liked the dorm and the other people that lived there. They were a nice bunch of people, and even though he was a tad antisocial, he liked the atmosphere of the building.

When he arrived at the common dorm, he had to duck under the legs of some girl as she was hoisted up on a tall guy’s shoulders. Sehun gave them a bemused look before carefully changing his expression to neutral. It was hardly sunset and the partying had begun.

He knocked once on Luhan’s door and was pulled inside abruptly. Shock adorned his face and he stared at Luhan, blinking rapidly. “Um?”

Luhan laughed. “I’m almost ready, but I didn’t want you standing out there in the open like that.” He was standing two inches away from Sehun, buttoning his pants.

It was then when Sehun realized that Luhan was shirtless. He averted his eyes and prayed that the reddening of his cheeks was not seen. Luhan was actually pretty fit, and that surprised him a little. As did the sudden urge to press him against the wall. He took a shallow breath. “Why is that?”

Luhan shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“Right.” Sehun nodded and continued to look everywhere but where Luhan’s now retreating figure was. When he was alone, he allowed himself to fully express his shock. His eyes widened and he mouthed the words ‘Oh my God,’ to the floor. Hearing the soft padding of Luhan's footsteps, he carefully composed himself and blatantly checked him out.

Luhan spun around, “How do I look?” His eyes were playful and eager.

“You look great,” Sehun glanced at the window. The sun was hanging lower. “We should probably get going.” He saw the slight look of confusion on Luhan’s face and ignored it. He needed to get control of the situation again.

When they made it to the parking lot, he sat in his car for a few minutes trying to decipher where the coordinates led to. A tingling sensation ran down his back as he realized he had no idea where they were going. He turned to Luhan and grinned. He did not need to know that the date was a surprise for the both of them. “Alright, we’re off!” He glanced in his rearview mirror as he backed out.

Luhan was uncharacteristically quiet as they drove. They were a full forty minutes in, when Sehun could no longer take the silence. “Are you okay?”

Luhan turned to him and nodded. “Yeah, I’m just really quiet on car rides.” He then shifted in his seat and turned so that he could look at Sehun better.

“Oh, same here.” Sehun said and returned his gaze to the road. The gps told him to take the next right so he flipped his indicator and merged into the right lane. He could feel Luhan’s eyes on him and felt his nerves begin to fray. He was hoping now more than ever that Baekhyun had not let him down.

They rode in a comfortable silence, lost in their own heads. As the trees grew sparse, Sehun felt his nerves kick into high gear. Where did Baekhyun have them going? He glanced at the gps and then back at the road. There was about ten minutes until he reached his destination apparently. He scanned the surroundings again, there were no buildings, no shops, and no people for that matter.

He noticed as Luhan gave him a look as he too came to the same conclusion that they were in the middle of nowhere. “Where are we going?”

Sehun gripped the steering wheel tighter. “You’ll see.” He forced a smile and hoped Luhan would notice the fact that he was now squeezing the wheel so tight his knuckles ached. His eyes flicked over to the gps once more. He had to take another right. He lightened his foot on the accelerator as he turned into a grass parking area. He considered calling Baekhyun before he noticed that he had to keep driving a bit more. He ignored Luhan’s curious gaze and kept his eyes on the path in front of him. What came into view nearly made him scream.

"A pumpkin patch?!" Sehun groaned as he pulled up to the field littered with orange orbs.  "You've got to be kidding me!" He sighed exasperatedly and rested his head on his steering wheel. Peering at Luhan with one eye he saw the flush on his cheeks as he gave him a quizzical look. He forced a smile and said,  "Come on, let's go see what else I had  _planned_."

 

 

~*~

 

Luhan kept his comments to himself. He was actually somewhat impressed that they were going to have such a simple date. In fact, it completely erased his anxiety for the time being and liked the feeling of the cool autumn air. He let out a breathless chuckle and spun around.

Behind him, Sehun was still visibly fuming as he stomped down the path after him. His face was relatively neutral, but his body language let Luhan know otherwise. He stopped and waited for Sehun to catch up before grabbing his hand and swinging their arms. He felt Sehun’s gaze on him and grinned. “Isn’t this what people on dates do?”

Sehun’s face froze before he smiled in return. “Yeah, they do this don’t they?”

They walked around idly for a few minutes before the sound of a violin drew their attention. Luhan felt his heart flutter and he squeezed Sehun’s hand. He pulled him towards the sound and when they neared the source, Luhan noticed that there was a small pavilion. He released his grip and gaped. Sehun was literally the most perfect person, if he actually planned a private candlelit dinner with live music.

While his steps were tentative, Sehun’s grew surer with each step. He nodded at the violinist and then pulled out a chair for Luhan. He then moved over to the other side and sat down in his own seat. The violinist began playing a sweet melody and Luhan felt goose bumps break out over his skin.

His thoughts raced a million miles per second as he watched Sehun order from a man wearing an old fashioned serving uniform complete with white gloves and long coattails. “S-Sehun?”

Sehun gave him a very pleased look. “Yes? You don’t mind that I ordered for you, do you?”

Luhan blanched. It was almost as if he was the same guy from the daydream, except they were out in the middle of nowhere, in a pumpkin patch, with suited servants tending to their every need, and with live music, which was now had changed to a rather playful tune. “Oh, not at all, but did you actually plan all of this?” He gestured around them.

Sehun tilted his head to the side. “How did you know?” He did not seem bothered by the fact that he had been found out. He actually seemed somewhat relieved.

Luhan bit his lip, still slightly wide eyed about the way things were going. “Your initial response…” he trailed off as their food arrived. It was the exact same food from his daydream. He felt his insides curl in on themselves.

Sehun laughed. “I guess that would do it.” He then motioned for the server to wait and drew him closer as he whispered something in the man’s ear. He then released him and turned back to Luhan. “Are you okay?”

That was the second time he was asked that. Quite frankly Luhan was freaking out on the inside. He knew that he was probably a little green in the face and had not touched his food at all. Now all that had to happen was for Sehun to ask him what his dream job and he would question his sanity. He nodded his head and picked up his knife and began cutting into the steak. He was not sure if it was his nerves or the cold that made his hands tremble.

Sehun placed his utensils down and stared at him. “You don’t look too well.” He stood up and walked over to Luhan and pressed his hand to his forehead.

Luhan turned away. “I’m fine, just a little cold.” It was quite the opposite of what he was feeling. Everything was too hot for him now. The chill in the air did nothing to stop the clamminess of his skin.

Sehun then dragged his chair closer to Luhan and shifted their plates so that he was now sitting close enough to touch legs with him. “Body heat.” He said with a grin and began cutting into his steak.

Luhan watched him and tried to force down at least a bite of food down. He was entirely too conscious of how close they were and the anxiety had returned with a vengeance. “I never asked what you were majoring in.” He hoped some light conversation would make the butterflies disappear.

Sehun frowned slightly. “Business, and you?”

“Oh same here! That and art.” Luhan chirped. At least they had something in common, even if it brought him one step closer to his daydream earlier. He forced the thought from his mind and instead concentrated on the warmth radiating from Sehun’s thigh that was pressed against his.

Sehun’s eyebrows rose. “Art and business? That’s an interesting combination.”

“Yeah.” Luhan forced the daydream even further away. This was it, this was when he was going to ask him the question.

“So, what do you plan on doing with an art degree?” Sehun said as he lifted the last bite of steak to his lips. He ate rather quickly, Luhan noticed, as he glanced down at his own plate which had most of the food still on it.

“Um,” Luhan paused and reached for the glass of water and sipped from it. He cleared his throat and then began again, “I kind of have this really silly dream job.”

Sehun gave him his full attention and Luhan swallowed nervously before continuing. “I kind of want to be a manga author.” Only he said it much too fast so Sehun gave him a quizzical look.

“I’m sorry, what?”

Luhan repeated himself and then closed his eyes. If he could not see Sehun, then he could pretend that this was another daydream that would end and everything would go back to normal. They would be sitting in his car and he would realize that he had been asleep the entire time.

“That’s cool actually.” Sehun said and then took a swig from his water.

“I know, it’s lame, no need to humor me. Besides, I have my dad’s business to fall back on when it doesn’t come true anyways…” Luhan said and stared at his hands.

“No, I honestly think that’s cool, it’s cute, but cool.” Sehun then reached over and laced his fingers through Luhan’s. "It’s so different from most people, like, you actually have this dream that you want to go through with and you are doing just that. And you have a backup plan, that’s pretty incredible.”

“Really?” Luhan could not believe his ears. He was fairly certain he was dreaming now. The only thing that told him otherwise was the heat from Sehun’s hand and the pressure of his leg against his.

“Yeah,” Sehun shrugged. "It’s more than I can say for my roommate and even myself. It’s admirable.”

Luhan grinned. “You have no idea how that makes me feel. I can’t believe I was afraid to tell you.” He sighed happily and felt his heart soar. Sehun was literally the perfect guy.

“Why would you be afraid?” Sehun asked.

Luhan took a deep breath. “Okay, this is going to be incredibly embarrassing, but I’m going to tell you anyways.” He started telling Sehun about the daydream he had in his business class in detail. He may have even flourished it a bit, but once he started talking he could not stop.

“Luhan–” Sehun tried to interrupt him.

He continued speaking. He hoped that if he did then Sehun would not have a chance to embarrass him further by making a commentary on his wild imagination. He was highly aware that he was babbling as he finished telling Sehun the dream and moved on to talking about why he did not want to run a business.

“Luhan…” Sehun tried again, this time he squeezed his hand.

He mentally slapped himself for not being able to stop talking. “And so if the shipment doesn’t make it the first time then I have to–”

“ _Luhan,_ ” another squeeze to his hand.

“Make sure that I call the person who ordered the shipment, usually some government official and I hate talking to those and I–” He continued talking until Sehun interrupted him again. He could not, for the life of him, stop.

“Luhan!”

“Find them incredibly pompous and hard to talk to and just–” Lips suddenly cut him off. Before he knew what he was doing, he melted into the kiss, hands running through soft strands, while his mind scrambled to put together what was happening.

Sehun pulled away, breathless and eyes flashing. “Sorry…but you wouldn’t shut up.”

Luhan brought his fingers to his lips and then grinned. “Maybe I should do that more often, then.” His mind was reeling and he could not believe that Sehun had just kissed him to stop his rambling, but he didn’t care. They just shared their first kiss and man was Sehun a good kisser. He opened his mouth to say something else, when he was cut off again. Sehun’s hands pulled him closer and he was easily quieted.

He could barely stop himself from climbing into his lap and had to grip the chair with one hand to keep him rooted. The other found a home on Sehun’s waist and the soft gasp he received in return made him smile. He pulled away first, lips tingling, lungs burning for the air they were denied of, and sighed.

“That, I’m not sorry about.” Sehun said once his breathing calmed. He brushed his hand down Luhan’s cheek.

Luhan was beyond giddy. He wanted to kiss Sehun again, but felt that he would be a little too forward in doing so. Besides this was only their first date, and he wanted to remain somewhat classy no matter how much he wanted to just straddle Sehun and let him have his way with him. It seemed as though both Kai and Minseok were right. Sehun did like him and he felt stupid for being so worried earlier.

 

 

~*~

 

They had returned to Luhan’s dorm not too much longer after they shared those kisses and now Sehun found himself being pushed down under Luhan as they lay on his bed. His fingers pressed into his skin as he pulled him closer against him. All he could think about now, was how amazing Luhan’s body felt on his own and how much he was going to have to thank Baekhyun when he returned.

He wondered what it was that clicked in their heads and caused this fiery storm of passion to take over. They had barely made it to the car, before breaking apart to drive all the way back. Luhan’s hands slid against his bare skin and drew a low moan out of him. He deepened the kiss, tongue prodding Luhan’s bottom lip, asking for entrance.

The soft mewl that escaped the older male sent shivers down Sehun’s spine. Everything was heated. Their touches, their kisses, and their bodies. The nearly inaudible creak of the springs of the mattress as Sehun reversed their positions so that he was now on top, made everything seem that much dirtier.

Luhan tugged the shirt over Sehun’s head and tossed it. He was caught up in the moment, eyes glazed over, lips parted, and hair mussed. He ran his hands over the expanse of pale lean muscled body. Sehun had no idea just how far he was willing to go tonight, so he put the thought at the back of his mind and lifted Luhan’s top off as well.

The second time seeing him shirtless was even more striking that the first. Perhaps because of the fact that Luhan was now pinned underneath him, a light flush turning his chest slightly pinkish. The brush of their skin on one another only made their kisses more passionate.

‘ _Oh God, this can’t be happening._ ’ Sehun thought as Luhan slid his hand lower, tugging on the waistband of his pants. He groaned louder as they both grinded into each other and circled his fingers around Luhan’s wrist. He pulled back slightly, lightheaded and charged, and whispered. “Too fast.”

Luhan actually blinked away the haze and his eyes widened in horror. “Oh my God, I’m sorry!”

Sehun laughed, “No, don’t be.” He planted little kisses on Luhan’s neck before continuing. “I just think that I should at least ask you to be my boyfriend before we go any further.” He mentally patted himself on the back for being so smooth. He had no idea that removing the barriers he made for dating Luhan would make him want him so badly. He guessed spending all his time denying his feelings was catching up to him.

He had only opened up to him last night, and now here he was about to have sex with him. That simply would not do. He could suppress those urges for much longer than that and did not want Luhan to think he was simply using him.

Luhan stared at him. “That doesn’t sound so bad.” Sehun knew he was teasing and laughed.

“So, will you?” He was still hovering over him and his thoughts threatened to cloud over once more, especially since he could still feel just how turned on Luhan was beneath him.

Luhan bit his lip and smiled coyly. “I’ll think about it.”

Sehun raised an eyebrow, “Oh really?”

Luhan snickered. “Yes, I’d love to be your boyfriend.” He then pulled Sehun back down and kissed him. The hours rolled away slowly, not that either minded too much.

By the time Sehun left, he was in high spirits. It was a little after midnight and he was worried about Baekhyun the moment he stepped out the door. He narrowly avoided getting smashed by a drunken couple making out heavily in the hallway. He wondered how Luhan lived in the common dorm and then remembered that he did party quite a bit. Parties were never Sehun’s thing, but then again neither were concerts and he let Baekhyun drag him to one and actually enjoyed himself.

As he made his way across campus, he found himself wondering if Luhan would bring him to one as well. They were already going to hang out tomorrow evening and Luhan had a surprise for him, so he wondered what it could possibly be.

 

 

~*~

 

Luhan smacked himself on the head. How could he have let things get so out of control so quickly? He blamed it on Kai rubbing off on him, but then took that back, he did have his fair share of hookups at parties before, so he could only blame himself. Speaking of Kai, he wanted to call him and let him know that he was right. Unlike Minseok, Kai would not say ‘Told you so!’ and would instead be eager to hear all the details.

A light blush crossed his cheeks as he dialed the number. Sehun was incredibly attractive and he could not get the image of him shirtless, positioned over him, out of his mind. Nor could he stop the sound of him groaning from replaying in his head. He bit his lip to keep himself from making a sound when Kai answered, his voice sounding somewhat thick.

“Yeah?”

“Kai, I have so much to tell you.” Luhan chattered.

“Uh,” There was an exploding sound in the background and then he continued, “Just come over, I can’t really talk on the phone.”

Luhan furrowed his brows. “Oh, okay, then see you.” He hung up and decided that a quick cold shower was in need before he headed over.

 

 

////

 

Kai looked over the titles of his movie collection for the third time. He could not decide on what type of movie he wanted to watch for the ‘date’. If he chose an action movie then perhaps he could distract Kyungsoo during it. If he chose a romance movie then there was a ninety percent chance that there would be a hot make out scene that he could use for an advantage to get Kyungsoo in the mood. If he chose a horror movie then he would not need an excuse to wrap his arms around Kyungsoo in order to comfort him. He pursed his lips and crossed his arms as he scanned the collection once more. There were too many ways he could flip the situation from something friendly to something involving heated touches and grinding hips.

He frowned as he remembered that he promised not to do anything to jeopardize their “friendship” and settled on a classic black and white film that he had watched over and over as a child with Luhan. He figured that such a sophisticated movie choice would impress Kyungsoo. However he ended up pulling the other titles from his collection as well and tossed them on the table. He would let Kyungsoo choose what movie they watched and that way he could not blame himself for whatever happened.

He actually hated how much he was overthinking things, especially since he supposedly did not _like_ Kyungsoo in any other way than being physically attracted to him. So it really should not matter if he impressed him or not, just so long as he got him in his bed. Yet, as Kai sank into the sofa, he kept dwelling on the fact that he had to put his plan aside for a little while.

All he wanted was an easy hook up but Kyungsoo had destroyed all of his attempts right from the start with his utterly disinterested attitude the first day. Kai was mildly shocked that he actually had to work to charm him, when he usually just had people falling at his feet begging him to give them just one night. It was ironic that the roles had pretty much been reversed.

He rested his head in his hands and tried to sort out the knots in his stomach. What was it about that doe eyed male that entranced him so much? Why was he so determined to have that small pale body squirming beneath him, moaning and gasping at his every touch? He tried to chalk it up to the innocence that Kyungsoo embodied and he wanted to take it for himself, but not even that was a satisfying answer.

Kai stared at the fibers of his sweatpants through his fingers. Did he actually like Kyungsoo? Or was this whole ordeal due to his need to conquer whatever he set his mind to? He guessed that he did in fact like being in his company, even if he was trying to repress his frustration. And perhaps Luhan was right. He did go overboard in relaying every detail to him last night. Then again, he wanted to relive it as much as possible.

However when he usually told Luhan about his hook ups he was pretty cut and dry, saying things like ‘he/she was good at giving head. He/she was too quiet. He/she was a screamer.’ Things of that nature and nothing more. Yet, he went into detail about the soft glow of Kyungsoo’s skin in the lighting at the concert, or the way his hips felt in his hands. In fact Kyungsoo was not even a hook up at this point since they did not even kiss. The only thing Kai had gotten out of everything so far was a severe case of blue balls and he still told Luhan everything as if it had been the most amazing sex he had ever had.

Kai pushed himself to his feet and glanced at the clock. It was only eight o’clock and Kyungsoo was not coming over until four in the afternoon. He had no idea what to do to kill time so he sighed and headed towards the empty room that had been left untouched since he kicked out his would-be roommate at the beginning of the school year.

When he opened the door he was greeted to a neatly made bed and a layer of dust on the standard desk all dorm rooms came with. He stood in the middle of the room and bit his lip as he sorted through his thoughts. It had only been a night since the concert and he had not stopped thinking about Kyungsoo. He never got this bent out of shape over anyone before and it actually frightened him. His hand stilled halfway as he ran his fingers through his hair. He sighed again and stared at the curtainless windows.

Maybe it was the fact that he was about to attempt to befriend someone other than Luhan that made him so worried. Usually he would actively make sure that no one got close enough to see him how he really was. Behind the bravado he put up for everyone to see, he was actually extremely insecure and longed for companionship. Yet he substituted it with carnal knowledge instead of emotionally attaching himself to someone, which seemed to be Kyungsoo’s approach. When emotions got involved things got too complicated and Kai was not fond of complications.

He sat down on the edge of the bed and stared at the wall. It creaked from disuse as he leaned back and rested his head on the pillow. He figured he would get a few hours of sleep once he realized just how tired all this confusion was making him. He hoped that once he woke up, he would have a much clearer mind.

It was not often that Kai had bad dreams. The majority of his dreams were often of the sexually depraved nature or even of his childhood. So when he woke up in the empty room, he could not shake the dream from his mind. It was not entirely a bad dream by definition, but it was just odd enough to get under his skin and stay there.

In the dream, he was five years old again, clutching a teddy bear tight to his chest with one arm, and rubbing his sleepy eyes with his other hand, as he walked down a dimly lit hallway. No matter how long he walked, the hallway seemed to stretch on forever. It was lined with doors that were firmly shut with numbers or sometimes names on them. There was a single door at the end of the hallway that he was headed towards. It was different from the rest of the doors which were red in color and simple in design. The door at the end of the hallway was black, with gold letters embossed on it in large curling font.

He began to panic when he felt something was chasing him down the hallway and knew that the door was the only safe place he could go. He never looked over his shoulder to see what it was, but he could feel its hot breath on the back of his neck as his five year old legs carried him as fast as they could. He frantically tried to pry one of the doors open to his right, but as he reached for the knob he seemed to shrink in size because he could no longer reach the knob.

The breath on the back of his neck grew hotter and he dropped the teddy bear and broke out into a full on sprint towards the large black door. As he ran he gradually morphed into his current age and size, but he was now naked. He dared a glance over his shoulder and picked up his pace even more despite the fact that he could not see anyone there behind him.

Out of the corner of his eye he noticed that the numbers on the doors were actually dates and they were headed to one date in particular: February 14th. As he continued running, freezing from his lack of clothing and the fact that the temperature seemed to drop as he got closer to the door, he could feel the hot breath lessening until it was no longer there.

He paused outside of the door and looked down to see he was suddenly wearing the pajamas he had fallen asleep in. He glanced over his shoulder and saw a shadowy figure waving at him in the distance and then pressed his hand against the door. It was warm and it swung open immediately, sucking him inside and shutting with a firm click.

Inside it was pitch black and even colder than the hallway. A strong sense of loneliness washed over Kai and each step became harder than the previous. He fell to his knees, unable to stop the shuddering sobs that racked his body. He tried to look around himself and almost wished he was outside with the person who was chasing him because that would be better than being completely alone. He curled up in a ball, hugging himself as the lights began to grow brighter until there was a spotlight on him.

He could see a crowd of people milling about around the edge, and he called out to them, but they did not stir. He watched as a couple started making their way towards him and as they grew closer, he noticed that they were his parents. He shouted their names, but they turned a deaf ear on him and continued walking by, without as much as a passing glance. More people began making their way towards him and he vaguely recognized them as previous hook ups and high school classmates. They met his gaze, sympathy in their eyes, and continued walking as if Kai was a caged animal in a zoo.

Luhan was the first to stop. He knelt down and handed him the teddy bear he had dropped in the hallway and told him that he just needed to stop playing games and let people into his life. Then he stood, joined hands with Sehun, and walked away. Kai was alone again. He felt like he was trapped and stared at the crowd of people as they continued to pass by him.

It was a while before anyone stopped before him again. By then the tears had dried and he was left with a hollow feeling. He glanced down at the bear and noticed it had initial stitched on its chest. They were surprisingly familiar, but he was not sure who they belonged to. He looked up to see that the crowd has dispersed and that there was a figure walking in the distance, holding a teddy bear as well. Kai pushed himself to his feet and ran over to him.

There was an invisible barrier separating them. He pressed his hand to the air and it was stopped. He tried beating against it, but the figure continued to walk away. Kai shouted, tears springing to his eyes again, because he did not want to be left alone again. He watched as the figure continued walking, a hood over his head and the bear drooping closer to the ground. Kai slid down against the barrier and hugged his knees to his chest. The loneliness enveloped him again.

More time passed and he glanced up to see the figure sitting against the barrier, his back to him, hugging his knees as well. The teddy bear was on the floor, face up and Kai could see his initials on it. He tapped the barrier and tried to get the attention of the figure for the next few minutes. It seemed like they could not hear each other.

Kai pressed his forehead against the barrier and that was when the figure turned and noticed him. His features were still hidden by the hood. Kai glanced up and his breath was stolen away. The person had placed their hand against the barrier and was waiting for Kai to do the same. When he did, it felt warm. He woke up before he could find out who it was, but he knew in the back of his mind that it was Kyungsoo.

When Kai returned to his room, after lying in bed mulling over the dream, he found that he had an email from the administration office. Kai quickly got dressed, thankful for the distraction from the dream and all its possible meanings. He grabbed a quick snack as he headed out of his dorm because he had not eaten all morning and set off for the main building.

The administration office was warm and cozy and Kai eagerly welcomed it as it was freezing outside. There was a woman sitting behind a desk and she had a kind face and big red rimmed glasses. Her blonde hair was pulled into a professional chignon and she looked overall quite young. She glanced up, dark eyes widening slightly as Kai entered the room. “You must be Mr. Kim.”

Kai nodded and sat down in the chair across from her. “Am I in trouble?”

“No, not yet.” She replied as she typed rapidly on the keyboard.

“Um, okay…” Kai raised an eyebrow and drummed his fingers on the arm rest.

“Relax, we just need to fix your schedule so you have the proper credits.” She clicked her mouse a few times and then swiveled the screen so Kai could see it. “You dropped chemistry last month, correct?”

Kai nodded slowly. “Yeah…and is that why I’m in trouble?”

“Well, like I said, you’re not in trouble, at least you won’t be if we fix this now. You’re missing a science credit and in order for you to graduate from here you need to have a certain amount of credits in the core classes. With that said, if you look here,” she pointed to the screen. “You were not failing the class. So you have a choice, re-register for this class while the spot remains open since someone dropped the class a few days ago, or register for another science altogether.”

Kai bit his lip. It was true that he had not been failing the class, but anything above a 60% was considered passing and he was barely making that, until he started getting tutored. His face grew thoughtful as he remembered the evenings spent in his dorm doing the assignments that were beginning to make sense to him because of Baekhyun. He wondered if he would not mind helping him out again, if he took the class. He pulled out his phone and sent him a quick message while the woman told him about the other science classes offered at the college. He hoped he’d say yes since the last time he asked Jongdae to help him with chemistry the guy trolled him at nearly every session.

He leaned forward, “I’ll take chemistry again.”

The woman blinked and then nodded. “Alright, I added it to your schedule. There are a few changes though. Your calculus class has been switched to the morning and your chemistry class will take its afternoon slot.” She paused, her eyes scanning the screen, “The professor highly suggests that you get a tutor to catch you up on the missed material.”

“Already taken care of, thank you.” Kai stood up. Despite the fact that he now had to take the afternoon calculus class, he was relatively calm about the whole situation. The only thing that bothered him was that he would have to actively work on maintaining his grade point average since chemistry never came natural to him. He knew once he had to start pulling all-nighters he would regret not taking one of the more simple sciences, but for now he was content. Besides if he got too stressed out, he would spend a few hours dancing to relieve the tension.

He walked out onto the campus feeling rather neutral and headed to his dorm to grab his keys; he needed to find a better choice for a movie. He contemplated calling Kyungsoo and asking him what he wanted to see, but chickened out and sent him a text instead.

 

 

~*~

 

Kyungsoo woke up with a start. His cheeks grew warm and he could not fight the bought of nervous giggles that bubbled up as he thought of the contents of his dream. It ended just after Kai had kissed him and despite everything he told him last night, he could not deny the fact that he might just like him more than he wanted to. He took a couple of deep breaths to calm his racing heart and after a moment of deliberation, he decided that taking a cold shower to keep his thoughts in order, was needed.

He passed by Chanyeol’s room on his way to the bathroom and paused. He was awfully upset last night and Kyungsoo wanted to do something to make him feel better. The band was the single most important thing in his life and he always wanted what was best for it. Now that things were falling apart, Kyungsoo knew it was only a matter of time before Chanyeol broke with it.

He shook his head and continued to the bathroom in hopes that a shower would help jog his brain into coming up with a plan. The moment his feet met the cool surface of the porcelain, he faltered. Perhaps a cold shower was not needed, in fact, the dream had all but left his mind as he was focusing on coming up with a plan for Chanyeol. So he reached down and turned the knob to the hottest setting and waited, nearly pressed against the opposite end until the water grew warm enough for him to step under it.

He racked his mind for possible solutions for Chanyeol and played with the idea of filling in while they searched for replacement. Only, there were two things wrong with that. Kyungsoo was terrified of being on stage in front of millions of screaming fans and he did not know how to play the bass. He sighed and let the water warm him. ‘ _Why does everything have to be so complicated?’_ He thought to himself as he poured shower gel onto a loofah.

_‘Speaking of complicated…’_ He continued in his mind’s voice and thought of Kai. He had no idea what to do about him. He told him he only wanted to be friends, but after last night’s dream he knew he wanted more than that. He supposed he had wanted more than that from the beginning, but Kai had a reputation and Kyungsoo did not want to be another tally mark on his headboard. If he was going to get him, he was going to do so the right way, and that meant becoming friends first and then taking it from there. But, Kai still had that plan and Kyungsoo did not know whether or not he would fake everything for the sake of said plan.

Kyungsoo pursed his lips and finished his shower. He dried his hair with a towel before padding into his room to get dressed. He noticed the LED light flashing on his phone and saw a message from an unknown number on his phone.

**9:08am – Is Chanyeol okay? This is Baekhyun by the way.**

Kyungsoo smiled down at the words and then replied.

**9:47am – Yeah he’s fine…a little shaken up over the hiatus but fine.**

He tossed his phone on his bed and continued searching for something to wear. He had class at half past ten and he still wanted to help out Chanyeol with the band. He heard his phone ring softly and quickly read the response.

**9:49am – Oh thank god! I was worried something happened to him**

‘ _He really likes him.’_ Kyungsoo thought as he sent a smiley face in return. He then opened his door and went to wake up Chanyeol to let him know that Baekhyun was concerned about him. When he opened the door, he found him asleep, holding Baekhyun’s phone in his hand. Kyungsoo pursed his lips again and sighed. He had forgotten that Chanyeol still had his phone and wondered how on earth Baekhyun had managed to message him in the first place.

Kyungsoo shook him awake, “Hey, you should probably return Baekhyun’s phone.”

“Mmm?” Chanyeol rolled over and blinked at him dully.

“I said, you should return Baekhyun’s phone, he probably misses it.” Kyungsoo repeated.

Chanyeol glanced down at the device clutched in his hand. “Why can’t he get it?” His voice was thick with sleep and he squinted up at Kyungsoo, no doubt suffering from a mild hangover.

Kyungsoo smiled, “Because he doesn’t know where we are and is most likely too freaked out about the hiatus to even think about trying to contact you.”

Chanyeol bolted up and then stared at the phone, his face hardening. “You’re right.”

Kyungsoo added, “And he messaged me earlier asking if you were okay.”

“He did?” Chanyeol’s expression was unreadable.

“Yeah, he sounded very worried. You should return it and maybe even try to console him or something…perhaps that’ll make you feel better as well since you like him so much.” Kyungsoo figured that he would come up with something soon because an idea was nudging the back of his mind as he spoke and he had a feeling it was going to solve everything. He chuckled to himself as the thought of him being a surrogate manager at the moment ran through his head.

“Alright, but how do I find out where his dorm is?” Chanyeol slowly shifted to his feet, standing unsteadily before shaking his head to gain his bearings.

“Jongdae.” Kyungsoo said and then made his way over to the door, “You should take a few aspirins before you go to kill that hangover.” His mind was reeling lightning fast as he walked to his door. Perhaps there would be a way to involve Baekhyun in the band as well. He listened for the sound of the door closing before scanning the comments left by fans once more. His eyes fell upon one that mentioned that if they needed a stand-in he’d happily oblige and that was when the idea struck him.

If the band held auditions there was a chance that they could be back in business in no time. Plus, there was the fact that everyone knew that Baekhyun could sing and since he was such a big fan – made obvious by last night – he would surely audition. Kyungsoo mentally patted himself on the back for thinking of such a brilliant idea and then called Chanyeol. “I have an idea, come back quick!”

While he waited for Chanyeol to return he quickly drafted a news post explaining the circumstances in such a way that it would satisfy the curiosity as well as not damage the band’s image. Then he added the notice for auditions at the bottom and leaned back in his chair, content. He had done it. He figured out something to fix the whole situation and allowed for some benefits as well. He knew that if Baekhyun auditioned he would definitely be the next member, but he also wondered if he knew how to play the bass. If not, then there would be two new members, and that could be a good or bad thing.

He left after he showed Chanyeol the draft and headed to his only class of the day. It was his vocal lesson class and he was feeling quite eager to learn a new piece. Singing had a way of relaxing him when he knew the pieces and giving him a sense of accomplishment when he learned new pieces. It was his passion and his teacher was always very impressed with his abilities and often joked about signing him up for the Music Performance Assessments that took place in January.

As much as Kyungsoo loved to sing, he still was battling stage fright. The idea of singing in front of professionals who would be judging not only his technique but the tone quality, his sight reading ability, and his overall performance made him incredibly nervous. He knew he lacked the confidence to be able to sing on stage comfortably so he had been working on that lately and was even able to sing in front of the other students that took vocal lessons from his teacher.

He walked into the rehearsal room with his mind buzzing and his palms sweaty. If he signed up, he would miss a week’s worth of classes and he was not entirely sure if his math grade could take such a blow. He already had to call Kai for help on every problem and even contemplated just asking him to tutor him so he would stop feeling so stupid for calling him every five minutes when he did his math homework, but the idea of being alone with him gave him more butterflies that was humanly possible and he knew that he would not be able to focus at all. So, if he missed a full week of instruction, he would have no hope of ever catching up.

His teacher flounced in with a large grin on his face that made Kyungsoo suspicious of him. “Hello, sir.”

“You’ve made it past the preliminary rounds for MPAs!”

Kyungsoo balked, “What?! How?!” As far as he knew, he had not even been signed up, so there was no way he could have made it past the preliminary rounds unless his teacher signed him up without asking. He narrowed his eyes. “You didn’t…”

“Oh, but I did! And I’ve been sending those recordings to the judges and they have had nothing but positive things to say about you.” His teacher rustled through an accordion folder for the next piece Kyungsoo would be learning. When he found it he brandished it in the air and grinned. “They’ll love hearing this from you!”

“No, I didn’t even sign up.” Kyungsoo tried to keep his voice neutral but his annoyance creeped in nonetheless.

“I took the leisure of signing you up after the first day. I only just told you about it because I didn’t want you to back out of it.” His instructor flipped through the pages of the piece and hummed a few notes.

“Why? Don’t I get a say in any of this? I’m the one performing. I’m the one that will miss a week of school. I’m the one who should decide if I want to go.” Kyungsoo could feel his blood pressure rising and his hands were trembling. He felt betrayed for the most part, but there was a small voice that was screaming in joy over the fact that the judges liked him.

“If I left it up to you, you would have said no, so I signed you up and you are going, that’s final.” He walked over to the piano and played the first few measures of the song and then looked at Kyungsoo. “And you won’t be missing a week of school. The MPAs take place the week before class are back in session, so your winter break will be cut short, but that’s all.”

Kyungsoo seethed. “And if I don’t show up?”

“Then you’ll fail my class. The MPAs are mandatory…if you read the handbook I gave you in the beginning of the year you would have noticed the asterisk that said that every student had to be assessed by someone other than the instructor. And you are beyond good enough for the MPAs so it will be a piece of cake.” He motioned for him to come next to him to read the music.

“So it’s going to be just you and me up there?” After weeks of hearing his teacher babble about the event he knew that it would take place in one of the neighboring colleges a couple hours north.

“Oh, not at all! There are a few other students of mine going, and the dancers as well since our assessments are on the same day, but at different times. We’ll even share the car or bus, whatever we take up there, with them so that none of you have to worry about driving  or getting lost on the way.”

Kyungsoo’s eyes widened. “The dancers?”

“Yeah, there are only about three as of now who are going. One is that dance prodigy, Kai, I think his name is, and the other two are Russian ballet dancers, I’m not sure of their names since they just transferred.” His instructor continued going on about the dancers and the fact that he watched them perform and helped the dance instructor choose who should be signed up. He gushed over Kai’s abilities and Kyungsoo tuned him out.

His ears were ringing and he suddenly felt very sick. It was bad enough that he had to go to the stupid MPAs, but now he had to worry about Kai watching him sing and judging him and – why did he even care? It was just Kai after all, and they were going to be friends, so it should not matter. But it made him feel even more nervous. “I don’t feel too well…”

“You do look a little green in the face, you know what? I dumped a lot of information on you, go back to your dorm and rest.” He continued to play the new piece on the piano  and then looked thoughtful. “Look up the song Ave Maria for homework and when we next see each other I want to you tell me the history of the piece, the various composers, and time period it as written in.”

Kyungsoo nodded and walked out of the rehearsal room in a daze. Too many things had just happened and he was not sure how to handle any of it. Now he had to worry about passing the MPAs and look up information about a piece he knew very little about. He hoped that baking would help him sort his mind, and set off for his car to buy some ingredients.

 

 

~*~

 

Kai paced in his common room. Kyungsoo was supposed to be there thirty minutes ago. He glanced at the door and then sat down in a huff on his sofa. He bounced his leg and tried to think of why Kyungsoo would have stood him up. He could not believe that he was waiting for someone to show up, he usually pulled that kind of crap on people to make them feel grateful that he even showed up in the first place.

There was a muffled kick on his door and he sprang to his feet and yanked the door open. His jaw dropped when he saw Kyungsoo standing there carrying  a box with homemade cupcakes in them. They were iced in such a way that they looked like little animals. He gaped at him and stepped aside to let him in. “What are those for?”

“I wanted to bring snacks, that and I bake when I’m stressed.” Kyungsoo grinned and set them down on the coffee table. He stood, hands on his hips and raised an eyebrow. “So are you going to just stand there with your jaw on the floor or are you going to get the movie started. What are we watching anyways?”

“Did you not get my text?” Kai asked after he gathered his wits. He wondered why Kyungsoo had not responded to him at all when he asked him what he wanted to see and ended up not buying a movie at all and instead got himself a new manga book instead which he hid under his bed. No one besides Luhan knew he read manga as that would ruin his entire persona of being perfectly unattainable yet entirely fuckable.

Kyungsoo pulled out his phone and then looked up with a sheepish grin. “I did now.” He turned and spotted the tower of DVDs that Kai had. “We can find something here.”

Kai snorted. Everything had gone full circle. “I thought about that at first.”

Kyungsoo nodded and bent over to selected a movie. “What about this one? I haven’t seen it before.”

Kai bit his lip and turned away to keep the dirty thoughts at bay. Kyungsoo had to know that he had a great ass. “Yeah…that’s fine. I um, I have to go to the restroom.” He darted to the bathroom and shut the door.

_‘Get a hold of yourself Kai! You got this! It’s just a simple movie thing, no gimmicks, no funny business. Just friends.’_ He splashed water on his face and calmed his thudding heart. No one had ever made him feel so vulnerable before. He glanced down at his clothes and sighed. He had forgotten to change out of his pajamas. The little ducks on his bottoms made him blush and he wondered why Kyungsoo had yet to comment on them. He contemplated changing, but figured that it would only draw attention to it, so he walked out of the bathroom like nothing had happened.

He found Kyungsoo fiddling with the DVD player and knelt down to help him. “I can take care of this, go make yourself comfortable.”

Kyungsoo smiled at him and stood up. “Do you have popcorn? I have a craving for something salty.”

_‘I can give you something salty.’_ The thought flew through his mind so fast he could not stop it. He swallowed and looked up at him. “Y-yeah, I’ll make some.” He was slightly confused since Kyungsoo had brought cupcakes with him, but shrugged it off and stood once he turned on the DVD player and television. He handed the remote to Kyungsoo, “This will play the movie, this will pause it, this will stop it.” He mentally slapped himself for stating the obvious.

Kyungsoo gave him a quizzical look. “I know how a remote works, thank you.” He turned his attention to the screen and called out nonchalantly, “Nice ducks by the way.”

Kai froze halfway to the kitchen and shook his head. He took a little too long before replying. “I know, they really go with my eyes.” He slapped himself for real this time. _‘Stupid! Stop being so lame!’_ He chastised himself as he watched the popcorn bag slowly inflate.

He could hear the previews roar to life from the common room and he stole glances at Kyungsoo from the kitchen. He watched him pluck a cupcake from the tray and lick his finger after dabbing it in the icing. He felt his face grow warm and watched as he took a small bite, closing his eyes as he savored the sugary delight. The microwave beeped behind him and made him jump. He quickly retrieved the bag and emptied the contents into a large bowl. He eyed the smudge of blue icing on the corner of Kyungsoo’s mouth as he set down the bowl. “I thought you wanted popcorn?”

Kyungsoo’s tongue snaked out to wipe the icing from his lips before he answered. “I do.” He then reached for another cupcake and peeled off the paper from the bottom before holding it out for Kai. “Taste it.”

Kai reached for it, but Kyungsoo knocked his hand away and raised an eyebrow. Kai froze, eyes scanning Kyungsoo’s face for signs of jest, and then leaned forward to take a bite. The smooth texture of the homemade icing caused his face to light up. The cupcake itself was moist and just as sweet. It was literally the most perfect thing he had ever tasted. He grabbed Kyungsoo’s small wrist and took another bite, his lips grazing the other’s fingertips. He once again searched Kyungsoo’s face for discomfort and when he found none, he took the final bite and then leaned back. “Those are delicious!”

Kyungsoo preened. “I know!” He then brought his fingers to his mouth and licked off the icing. Kai stared at him and he raised an eyebrow, “What?”

“Nothing.” Kai turned his attention away from him. “Let’s start the movie.” He needed something to distract his mind from the pinkness of Kyungsoo tongue darting out to lick the creamy icing from his fingertips, the same fingertips that Kai’s lips had just touched moments earlier. They had just shared an indirect kiss and now all he could think about was pinning him to the sofa to share a more direct kiss.

The doe eyed male shrugged his shoulders and pressed the ‘play’ button. He fidgeted for a few minutes before turning to Kai and asking, “Do you have another pair of sweatpants, I can’t get comfortable in these jeans.”

Kai balked at him. ‘ _What the hell? Isn’t this a ‘just friends’ thing? Wait, friends share clothing. I can do this.’_ He took a deep breath and nodded. “Yeah, I’ll get you a pair.” He pushed himself to his feet and started walking to his room and paused when he heard Kyungsoo stop the movie. “Keep it playing, I’ve already seen it a dozen times.”

He yanked open his drawers and tried to find a pair of sweatpants Kyungsoo could wear. They had to be a pair that he could easily ignore, so he chose a dark color and emerged from his room. “Will these be okay?”

Kyungsoo looked up at him. “They’re perfect!” He walked over to him and swept them from his hands and went right into Kai’s room.

Kai blinked. Kyungsoo was in his room, getting undressed, and he could not do a thing about it. He sat down on the sofa and pouted. If only he had not promised to not try anything, he would have joined him in that room.

“Kai?” Kyungsoo voice was slightly muffled.

The younger jumped to his feet and barged through the door to find Kyungsoo standing in the middle of his room, pants swung low on his hips and a confused look on his face. “Is something wrong?”

Kyungsoo nodded. “These don’t have a drawstring, and I’m not about to flash you anytime soon.”

Kai suppressed the comment he was going to make and pulled out his last pair of clean sweatpants. “These should work.” He lingered by the door longer than he should have and prompted Kyungsoo to say.

“Are you going to watch me?” His tone was dripping with a challenge.

“I’d like to, but we’re ‘just friends’ so no.” Kai still had not moved though. He wanted to see just how far Kyungsoo would go.

“Friends change in front of friends, so suit yourself.” He let the black pants drop to the floor and stepped out of them, all while keeping his eyes locked with Kai’s. He then pulled on the other pair and smiled. “Satisfied?”

Kai wanted to scream. Kyungsoo was teasing him again and he could hardly take it. “Yes.” He said and then turned on his heel. How was he going to handle being alone with him if he was determined to test him every step of the way. His eyes widened. That was what this was! Kyungsoo was testing him, by trying to tempt him into seducing him to see if his intentions were genuine. Kai snickered. He could not believe that he was falling for the ruse. Well, two could play this game.

He sat down next to Kyungsoo and reached across his lap to grab the remote, making sure he brushed his thighs as he did so and then resumed the movie. He watched Kyungsoo out of the corner of his eye for the next ten minutes before stretching his legs across him. “You don’t mind do you? Friends are comfortable with each other, you know.”

Kyungsoo flashed him a dark look before saying, “Friends or not, I will not be a footrest.” He then shoved Kai’s feet off of him and reached for a handful of popcorn.

Kai then flipped around and rested his head in his lap, “How about a headrest?” He could feel the older tense beneath him and smirked.

Kyungsoo dropped a few kernels of popcorn on Kai’s face. “Only if you don’t mind getting pelted with food. I’m not the neatest eater you know.”

Kai swept the popcorn off his face and sat up. “Never mind.” He needed another approach.

 

 

~*~

 

Kyungsoo could barely focus on the movie, especially now that Kai had returned with a blanket and was snuggled up next to him, looking as if he would pass out any second. He had not intended to push the limits of the definition of friends today, but his nerves made him extra sassy, and it seemed like Kai was going along with it full steam ahead. He gritted his teeth and kept his breathing calm. He had to find a way to get control of the situation before he ended up doing something he regretted.

He nudged Kai, “I’m thirsty.”

Kai blinked at him and then sat up, his hair was pushed up on one side and it made Kyungsoo’s heart flutter. “What would you like?”

Kyungsoo kept his face neutral as he fought the onslaught of thoughts that screamed ‘You!’. “What do you have?” He figured that was safe enough to say.

Kai padded into the kitchen and Kyungsoo found himself watching him walk. The thin fabric of the sweatpants left nothing to the imagination and he suddenly found it hard to swallow. He tore his eyes away and stared at his hands on his lap. The gray fabric beneath them made his face grow warm. He was wearing a pair of Kai’s pants and could not believe how brazen he was earlier. The more he thought about, the warmer his face grew. He was sending all the wrong – or right depending on how one looked at it – signals and he needed to reel in quick.

He stood and followed him to the kitchen and ran right into Kai’s chest, spilling the glasses of soda all over the both of them. “Sorry!”

Kai laughed. "It’s alright, I’ll just have to change shirts.” Then, to Kyungsoo’s horror – or pleasure – he set the glasses down and tugged the shirt over his head. “Friends change in front of friends, remember?”

Kyungsoo averted his eyes and scrambled out of the kitchen. His shirt was now sticky from the drying soda and his heart was hammering. He took a few deep breaths and squared his shoulders. He entered Kai’s room and watched him ruffle through his drawers for two clean tops. His eyes scanned the room and he nodded in appreciation at how organized it was.

He almost did not catch the shirt Kai threw at him and  glanced at Kai who was frozen with his shirt halfway tugged on, watching Kyungsoo. The older steeled himself and peeled his own shirt off, trying to ignore the burn of eyes blatantly checking him out and pulled Kai’s top on. It was soft and smelled like him and Kyungsoo blushed when he realized he had sniffed the shirt after pulling it over his head.

Kai raised an eyebrow. “Does it smell funny?”

Kyungsoo stared at him and turned on his heel. “Let’s get back to the movie.” He could not tell him, just how much he liked the way Kai smelled. It was a pleasant expensive cologne that embodied every aspect of Kai. It was as if the company had made a perfume just for him.

He sat down and folded his legs under him and waited for Kai to sit down before playing the movie again. At this point, they were going to finish this two hour movie in four hours. He reached for the bowl of popcorn at the same time Kai did and their hands met in the bowl. It was almost too cliché to be happening so Kyungsoo took it upon himself to disperse the mood by accidentally kicking it on the floor. “Oops.”

Kai wrinkled his nose. “Sorry, that was my fault.”

They both got down on their knees to clean it up and once again, their hands met and Kyungsoo found himself looking up just as Kai did, their faces centimeters apart. He wet his lips and gulped. His gaze darted from eye to eye as he searched Kai’s face for bad intentions and found nothing but curiosity. He could hear their shallow breaths as they remained still. His mind could not come up with anything snippy to say so he paused and waited for Kai to do something. His heart was pounding in his chest and he could feel Kai start to close the distance.

Their lips brushed against each other’s softly at first, testing the waters, and then with a tender force that stole Kyungsoo’s breath away. His mind went blank and he could only focus on the gentle pressure of Kai’s tentative lips against his. He felt Kai’s hands cup his chin and draw him closer to him, crushing the popcorn with their legs as the kiss deepened. There was something more than just lust behind the gesture, it was not at all how he imagined kissing Kai. There was no impatient fervor, just a simple, yet pleasant meeting of lips.

Kai pulled away first and brushed Kyungsoo’s cheek with his thumb. His expression was open and his eyes held a thousand words behind them. Kyungsoo let out a shaky breath before pulling away and starting to gather the popcorn into a pile. He glanced up at Kai from the corner of his eyes and watched as his face slowly changed to the mask he normally wore. Kyungsoo wondered just how much of himself Kai was hiding.

They cleaned the mess up in silence and then went back to watching the movie. Neither of them touched, and neither really watched the movie either. They were too caught up in their own heads. Kyungsoo was not even looking at the screen and was gazing at the carpet. He could not believe he just kissed Kai. They were supposed to be trying to be friends, not lovers, and yet not even a day later, they had failed to do even that.

It wasn’t that the kiss was bad, it just held too much unknown consequences behind it and Kyungsoo was not ready for any of them. Add the look on Kai’s face afterwards and that made Kyungsoo even more unsure of the whole situation. He bit his lip and glanced over at Kai, who had been staring at him, and offered a weak smile. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“About what?” Kai deadpanned.

“What just happened…” Kyungsoo replied. He wanted to make sure that if he was going to open up to him, that he would at least not end up hurt in the process.

“Friends sometimes kiss too, so there’s nothing to talk about.” Kai was about to say something else, when his phone rang.

Kyungsoo frowned. He knew he was going to do something he would regret. Although he had not actually initiated the kiss, he certainly did not stop it from happening. He was not sure how he even felt about it. He knew part of him was happy and a much larger part of him was upset that it had even happened in the first place. He decided to change the subject. “So, I’m going to the MPAs in January…”

Kai’s eyes widened. “You are? Do you sing or something?”

Kyungsoo felt himself blush. “Yes, it’s kind of the same thing to me as dancing is to you. My teacher signed me up without telling me, though, so I never really wanted to, but I made it past the prelims.” He shrugged.

Kai gave him a look somewhere mixed between awe and curiosity. “You should sing something for me then.”

Kyungsoo shook his head. "It’s hard for me to sing in front of people.” That and he was not about to sing in front of Kai.

“You saw me dance,” Kai argued.

“That was an accident.” Kyungsoo blushed and then turned as a knock on the door broke the calm aura between them. Kai leapt up and let him in. A guy with bright eyes and a cheery smile walked in.

“I’m Luhan! You must be Kyungsoo.” He plopped down next to Kyungsoo and nudged him with his leg. “Are those Kai’s pants…and shirt? Am I walking in on something?”

Kyungsoo’s face was on fire. “Yes they are and no. We’re just friends, and friends share clothes.” He figured that if he told himself that enough times he would believe it.

He glanced at the coffee table and turned back to Kyungsoo. “Can I have one?”

Kyungsoo nodded, “Take as many as you like.” He watched as Luhan ate one of his cupcakes thoughtfully, his eyes glittering.

“These are amazing!” He exclaimed.

Kai returned and kicked Luhan playfully. “Move, you’re in my spot.” He crossed his arms and waited for Luhan to move and when he didn’t sat down on the other side and grumbled.

Luhan grinned and then sighed happily. “So, do you want to know why I had to call you earlier?”

Kai shook his head, obviously still pouting while Kyungsoo looked at Luhan curiously. He remembered seeing the two together a lot, but never knew what exactly they were to each other. Also, his first impression of Luhan already made him wonder just how he and Kai ended up being friends in the first place. His entire personality was completely the opposite of Kai’s, he was easy-going and very comfortable with people, judging by the fact that he had slung his arm around Kyungsoo in a friendly manner. Kyungsoo wondered if Kai had done the same thing if it would feel so platonic.

Luhan smiled again. “That date I was telling you about, went amazing!” He started telling them both what happened, stopping only to tell Kyungsoo who Sehun was when he asked, and then going into great detail. Kyungsoo found himself blushing profusely during the recount of the story and extremely intrigued at the same time. He listened, completely captivated by the way Kai was now smiling smugly on the other side of Luhan. Their eyes met and something passed between them, but Kyungsoo was not sure what.

Luhan then noticed that the movie had been paused and saw the bowl of popcorn still upturned on the floor. “So what have you two been up to?”

Kai nodded to the screen. “Watching a movie.”

Luhan raised an eyebrow and glanced at the popcorn on the floor. “That’s all?”

Kai nodded and then stood up. “I’m going to make more, if you both want some.”

The moment Kai was out of earshot Luhan turned to him. “I don’t care what he tells you, he really likes you okay? I want you to remember that, and don’t believe him if he says otherwise.”

Kyungsoo nodded his head, owl-eyed. “Um, okay?”

“Promise me, you’ll stay by his side. As friends, boyfriends, whatever, it doesn’t matter, just please be there for him.” Luhan continued in a hushed whisper.

Kyungsoo nodded again, bewildered and wondered if Luhan was crazy or something. All of this was uncalled for and it made Kyungsoo somewhat uncomfortable. Kai returned to find them both staring at him, one with knowing eyes, and the other with contemplative ones. Kyungsoo glanced away when Kai’s gaze lingered too long on his lips and felt the heat rise to his ears.

They finished the movie, chattering amongst each other about the plot and characters once it ended. Kyungsoo stifled a yawn and Kai noticed. “You can stay the night if you’d like.”

Kyungsoo shook his head. “No, I should be going actually. This was nice though, we should do it again.” He smiled and he flicked his gaze over to Luhan’s stretched figure on the other sofa. “Are you going to wake him?”

Kai shook his head. “Nah, he needs to rest anyways, he’s had an eventful day.” His smile was fond and it made Kyungsoo ponder on their relationship with each other again. “I’ll walk you home though.”

Kyungsoo bit his lip. “Okay.” He was incredibly tired and grateful that he had company to walk him all the way back to his dorm. He figured he would crash as soon as he got there. He waited for Kai to join him by the door and rested his eyes.

Kai came back with a small bag with Kyungsoo’s clothes. “I’m going to wash these for you while I’m out.”

Kyungsoo nodded, eyes still closed. “Thank you.”

The walk there was icy and Kyungsoo found himself wrapping his arms around himself to keep warm, until Kai draped an arm over his shoulders and pulled him close. His mind was too tired to think of what it could mean, and he rested his head on his shoulder as they walked. He could hear the sounds of the leaves rustling in the wind and their feet scuffling in the grass. He was engulfed by the smell of Kai and the gentle movement of his steps as he found himself falling asleep on him while they walked.

They arrived at his dorm and rested his hand on the knob and turned to look at Kai. “Thank you again, I really had a great time.” He could feel himself about to say something else, but held it back.

Kai smiled at him genuinely and said, “Me too.”

They both stared at each other, waiting for the other to make a move, but neither wanted to be the first. So after an awkward pause, Kai clapped Kyungsoo on the shoulder and nodded before leaving. Kyungsoo welcomed the darkness of the common room and discovered that Chanyeol had not returned.

He stood in the middle, biting his lip, mulling over everything that had happened today. He found out that he was going to MPAs, helped Chanyeol fix his band, and most confusing of them all, he kissed Kai. He was deep in thought when Chanyeol returned, a giant grin on his face.

 

 

~*~

 

Kai tapped his foot as he waited for the washing machine to finish its spin cycle. He could not forget the softness of Kyungsoo’s lips. He shook his head and snorted. He had been hoping for that moment since the first time he saw him, but had not been expecting the wave of emotions to hit him when it happened. In fact he was not ready for the look of Kyungsoo’s half lidded eyes, slightly parted lips, and gentle blushing cheeks either. He drummed his fingers on his leg and felt a vibration in his pocket.

He quickly read the two messages, both from Baekhyun, one saying that he’d help him out in chemistry again, and the other asking him for a favor. Kai said that he did not have a problem with helping him out, since it was the least he could do, and was even more inclined to help with the audition because Kyungsoo had been invited to go as well. They would start meeting at the karaoke bar every night until the auditions took place after Baekhyun finished tutoring him in chemistry.

He received another message a few minutes later from Luhan calling him a jerk for leaving him alone and that he was leaving. It made Kai smile and he replied with an evil smiley face. He knew Luhan would get him back some time in the near future, but he did not care. He was far too happy.

He spotted Sehun walking outside, carrying a bag with him and forgot about the clothes for the moment and stepped out the laundry room to investigate. He wondered if Luhan had called him over or something since he was headed in that direction, and snickered at the thought.

What he saw however made his eyes widen in shock. He was fairly certain he just witnessed a drug deal. His hand paused over his pocket as he battled over whether or not he should warn Luhan that he was getting involved with sketchy people and in the end he bit his lip and turned back to the laundry room. Maybe he was assuming things, maybe Sehun was just giving the strangely large man something he had forgotten.

Kai entered the laundry room and sighed. He could either tell Luhan and watch him get hurt, or not tell him and watch him get hurt. Either way Luhan got hurt, and that was not what Kai wanted for his best friend. He stared at Kyungsoo’s clothing as the spin cycle finished and frowned. The night had been going so well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the long wait everyone...I struggled with finding time to write this monster of a chapter and had to split up my time over two weekends :/ But, it's here now! I hope to update this on it's schedule soon! So look out for the next chapter! 
> 
> Oh and I reached 100k words! This is officially the longest fic I have ever written and I'm super excited! It's actually at it's halfway mark so there may be *about* nine more updates for this fic and then an epilogue :P Until next time my lovelies!


	11. Props & Mayhem pt. 1

Baekhyun rushed out of his chemistry class into a bustling hall. His hair was in a wild flurry and his notes were flapping in his notebook. It had dragged on longer than he wanted and he was worried about Chanyeol even more. The oaf had not shown up today and he was beginning to fear the worst. Especially after all the drama that caused a momentary hiatus, he could hardly reign in thoughts of unexpected death or serious accidents.

His hand hovered over his pocket, where his phone was, before he brought it back up to control his notes. He smoothed them and shoved them in his textbooks as he weaved briskly through the crowd. He wanted to call him to see what was wrong, but that felt nearly impossible. What if, instead of him being hurt, Chanyeol had not shown up because he didn’t want to see him? It would be just his luck that he would not show up. After all, he was only going to break his heart in the end anyways. He sighed and paused in the hallway as the students cleared away. He felt very alone in the empty hallway.

His phone vibrated and he pulled it out to see a text from Kai asking him where they were going to meet up. Baekhyun pursed his lips and almost told him he was busy, but he figured that a little more chemistry with Kai would keep his mind off of Chanyeol for the time being. He knew Sehun was out with Luhan already so he invited him over to the dorm where he could silently have a breakdown without the school knowing.

He was nearly knocked over by a sprinting girl and turned around to see her skid to a stop in front of the chemistry room. He waited until she entered the room before he pushed down his curiosity and continued on his way to his dorm. It was a short, quiet walk, since everyone was either in their classes now or heading to lunch. He glanced at the bell tower as it rang and then to the swirling leaves at his feet. In a campus as large as it was, it sure could feel like a ghost town at times.

He threw open his door and tossed his backpack on the floor and groaned as he took in the sight of the mess he and Sehun had accumulated over the past weekend. He knew he should have cleaned everything up last night, but after everything had been said and done, he simply felt far too drained. His thoughts had been plagued by Chanyeol all night. Some were good, but most were bad. He kept playing out scenarios where he had to break it off with him, and each one hurt more than the last. He snorted bitterly and set down his textbooks on the sofa.

Sighing and rolling back his sleeves, Baekhyun set to work on the pile of dishes stacked in the sink. The motions were simple and numbing. Scrub, rinse, dry, repeat. It allowed him to focus directly on the task and not his torturous thoughts.  Each time Chanyeol’s name threatened to surface, he forced himself to scrub harder until he could squash it back into the back of his mind. In no time he was finished and decided to move onto the next disaster area in the dorm: the common room.

When someone knocked on the door, Baekhyun froze, sauce crusted paper plate in one hand and the trash bag in the other. Instead of opening it he shouted, "Come on in, Kai!” He tossed another plate into the bag, barely holding back the bile that rose in his throat. He had no idea how long that plate had been under the couch.

Kai pushed the door open and grinned. “Been a while since we met up like this, eh?” He tugged off his shoes and dropped his bag on the sofa and started helping Baekhyun clear the mess of food cartons and used utensils from the coffee table.

“You don’t need to help, I’m almost done.” Baekhyun murmured. He found an old eyeliner pencil under the table and pursed his lips. He had been wonder where it went for nearly a week.

“Nah, I don’t mind.” Kai smiled as he tossed an old coffee cup into the trash and then added, “By the way what’s this talk about the karaoke bar?”

Baekhyun paused. He had forgotten all about the plans he made for later on tonight. His heart sped up and he slowly glanced up at Kai after controlling his emotions. “Oh, um Wings of Fire is holding auditions for a new singer, and I wanted to try out. But, I need your help before I go, since it’s on Friday.”

Kai nodded, placing a broken plastic fork into the bag and grinned at Baekhyun, “You want us to tell you how amazing you are and build your ego?” He tied off the bag and lugged it over to the pile. “I mean, you could have just invited us all here to stroke that precious ego of yours and we wouldn’t even have to go to the karaoke bar.” He flashed him a devilish smile.                                                                                                                                                                                   

Baekhyun snickered, “Pretty much.” He had forgotten how blunt Kai could be at times. In a way he missed it. “But, I do want honest opinions, so I have to actually sing and I figured that we should at least all get out of the dorms a bit to enjoy it.”

“I don’t know about you, but I’m hardly in my dorm.” Kai held open a new trash bag for Baekhyun to dump the garbage into and then tied it. “But I’m game for a bit of drunk singing.” He brought it to the door where the others were and set it against the frame.

Baekhyun raised one eyebrow. He figured a few drinks might loosen him up. “I hadn’t thought of drinks, but that’s not a bad idea.” If he was going to branch out and audition, he figured it was time for him to get in the party scene.

Kai smirked. “I have a few good ideas every now and then.” He sat down on the sofa and opened the textbook before looking up. “Oh, is this my payment for you tutoring me right?”

“Yeah.” Baekhyun brushed his hands off on his jeans and sat next to him. “Let’s get started, I placed reservations at the karaoke place for six, and you have a lot to catch up on.”

 

 

~*~

 

Chanyeol leaned back on Lin’s overly pink flowery bedspread. Her entire room was pink and frilly and filled with stuffed animals. It fit her personality so much it was scary. “So did you watch the one video of the guy with the blue streaks?”

Lin glanced over her shoulder at him and nodded. She was curling her hair and had bobby pins in her mouth.

“Wasn’t he good? I added him to the list.” Chanyeol murmured as he closed his eyes. He spent all night watching the auditions and only got through half of them. To top it off he skipped his chemistry class, and it wasn’t until Lin asked him how class went that he remembered that he missed it. He was honestly looking forward to seeing Baekhyun, and had lost the chance. He wondered how he was doing and hoped he was alright.

Lin nodded again and wrapped a long lock of bright pink and blue dip-dyed hair around a curling iron. She was going for the cotton candy look and that honestly left Chanyeol more than a little confused. He figured he’d never understand her hair dying habits.

“I wonder what he’s doing now.” Chanyeol muttered more to himself than anything. He hoped that he’d see him on Wednesday, since that was their next meeting for chemistry. Other than that he could not see himself with him unless they somehow met up before then.

“He’s probably moping like you are in his room or something. I swear you two won’t get anywhere if you don’t make a move.” Lin threw a brush at Chanyeol and hit him on the shin.

Chanyeol snapped his eyes open and rubbed the spot on his leg. “Fine, I’ll do something about it, but please don’t throw crap at me.” He was a little irritable from lack of sleep and the fact he missed out on Baekhyun. On top of all that, they were no closer to finding a replacement so he was under a lot of stress. Part of him wished Dongmin would have just kept his pants on so that they would not have to go through all this drama.

Lin smiled and turned back to the mirror and wrapped another lock of hair around the barrel. “Good, I’m sick of seeing you like this.”

Chanyeol frowned slightly. Had he been moping lately? He knew he had been in a sour mood all morning after he realized he missed class, but he thought he had held that in. “Anyways, we really need to find a replacement.” His tone was pretty dry and when Lin turned around he simply sighed and flopped backwards again.

“You know, we might become a four person band…” Lin said cautiously. “Do you think the fans will like it if we add two new members instead of one?”

Chanyeol chewed on his lip. He had not thought about that. He assumed that their new singer would also know how to play the bass. It was times like these that he missed Dongmin. He rolled onto his side and continued to gnaw on his lip. “Damn…you’re right.” He stared at the floor and then stood up. “I think they’ll understand.”

“Hopefully.”                                                                      

Chanyeol walked over to her laptop and sat down at the desk. “I’m going to take a look at a few more auditions.”

Just then Lin’s roommate, Ai, walked in with a huge grin on her face. “I have an idea! Oh and I told your professor that you were sick Channie.” Her brown hair was in a wispy frenzy, half out of the neat bun, and her face was red. She smoothed her hair after a quick glance at Chanyeol and turned even redder.

Chanyeol raised his eyebrow. “Thank you?” He kept getting the vibe that she cared a little too much for him and it made him uncomfortable. He had to control his face when the thought of Baekhyun having the same thought passed through his head. He knew he may have come on a bit strong at first, but it was just so hard after seeing him at every show. He could not just ignore him nor could he help the feelings that developed. Sure it was a bit superficial, but he _knew_ there was a connection between them.

“No problem.” She was still breathless, so she sat down on Lin’s bed and panted for a few moments until she calmed down. “You know how I play the bass, right?”

Chanyeol’s eyes widened. He turned away from the laptop and gave her his full attention. “Yeah?” If she was really saying what he thought she was, then it seemed their search would be cut short. But, they still would need a singer.

“Well, I was thinking that maybe I should join the band…” She trailed off as both Lin and Chanyeol stared at her. “I promise I won’t mess up or anything and I already know the songs and please let me do it!” She gave him the classic lip-trembling-eyes-sparkling look as she begged.

Chanyeol waved Lin over and they stepped out of her room into the hallway. “I don’t know…should we?”

Lin smacked his arm. “Are you serious?” Her hair was still half uncurled so she looked quite comical and Chanyeol almost laughed.

“What?” Chanyeol rubbed his arm and pouted. He was used to Lin smacking him every now and then, but lately she had been doing it a little too much and he was already annoyed.

“The girl is insanely good at the bass, and she can sing, we don’t even have to look for a new singer if we add her. Come on, Chanyeol this is a miracle!” Lin hopped excitedly up and down.

Chanyeol glanced back at Ai, who was sitting on the bed with a curious expression. Her eyes were pleading and her hands were clasped over her lap. “We need a male singer. If we change that much it’ll be a turn off.”

“Whatever, that’s fine, so is she in?” Lin glanced back and gave Ai a thumb up.

“I don’t see why not, but we still need a lead singer.” Chanyeol watched as Lin ran into the room and tackled Ai, while she giggled. He was already beginning to regret the decision. He leaned against the wall and pulled out his phone, it was not even four yet and he did not want to return to the dorm until they settled everything.

He slid down to a sitting position and opened his contacts and stared at Baekhyun’s number. He teetered between asking him to hang out later and then rested his head against the wall. If he wanted this to work out, he needed to take initiative. He gnawed on his lip and quickly sent Baekhyun a text message before pushing himself to his feet.

“Oh, and you should see him when he goes gaga over Baekhyun, it’s adorable!” Lin prattled.

“Baekhyun? Byun Baekhyun?” Ai’s eyes rounded and she gaped at Chanyeol. “You like him?”

Chanyeol deadpanned. “Seriously Lin?”

Lin gave him an innocent expression and nodded. “I need to catch her up on everything related to the band.”

“How is my nonexistent love life a part of the band?” Chanyeol gave them both a weary look as he sat down in front of the laptop again and opened a new tab with another video.

“Oh relax, we’re having girl-talk.” Lin scoffed and then continued dishing out gossip while Ai listened intently. She kept glancing at Chanyeol shyly whenever his name came up.

Chanyeol had the sneaking sensation that the girl liked him, and could feel the extra weight settle on his shoulders. Too bad he had no interest in girls. He closed the tab the moment the video started as the singer was completely off-key and scrolled down to find another video. The change in the band’s dynamic would be interesting.

 

~*~

“Kai I swear if you don’t get this, then you may as well give up.” Baekhyun laughed as continued surfing television channels. They both had fallen back into their usual routine of poking fun at each other and for the first time the whole day, Baekhyun felt excited. He kept thinking about auditioning for Wings of Fire and the look on Chanyeol’s face when he saw him.

“That’s easy for you to say. Chemistry is a foreign language to me.” Kai cradled his head in his hands and stared closely at the sheet of practice problems Baekhyun wrote up for him. He had to name the various peptides. It was something they learned in the first few weeks of the class and he apparently had forgotten how to do so. He stared at the mixture of letters and number on the sheet of paper. “I can’t do this!” He shouted exasperatedly.

Baekhyun turned off the television and stared at Kai. “Are you serious?” If he had to re-teach him how to name things, he was in for a long night. But, with the karaoke plans for later, he knew he would have to split up their tutoring lessons, if Kai was to be up to speed by the next meeting for class. That meant spending all day tomorrow tutoring him. Not that he minded, but all of a sudden his free time was being taken over.

Kai glared at him. “Don’t look at me like that. I hate chemistry, why did I even sign up for it?”

“Whoa, relax, I’ll explain it to you again.” Baekhyun grabbed the pencil from Kai’s hands and began to explain the naming process once more. It was quite simple to Baekhyun, but then again, chemistry came so natural to him. And while he did not mind having to re-teach Kai the simplest concept for the class, he was worried about how far behind he was.

Kai watched as Baekhyun circled the subscripts and denoted their importance in the margins of the paper. He nodded his head when Baekhyun met his gaze, and seemed to be absorbing everything he said. At least that was what Baekhyun was hoping for. He was not too fond of repeating himself too much, and Kai usually got things pretty quickly.

Baekhyun continued explaining, “Each amino acid beginning from the N-terminal has a –yl ending, which is then followed by the name of the amino acid at the C-terminal…” He circled what he was talking about and then passed the paper back to Kai. “You try these, okay?”

Kai made a face at the paper, but resigned and put Baekhyun’s instructions to work. He named the first one and showed it to Baekhyun and then grinned when he got it correctly. Baekhyun felt himself warming up inside at the accomplished look on Kai’s face. It was little things like that, that made it all worth it in the end to Baekhyun.

“Alright, we finished that, now we need to move–” Baekhyun pulled out his phone. His eyes widened and he laughed shyly. Chanyeol had texted him asking if he wanted to hang out, and he could not help but feel giddy. He could not believe that he actually texted him. It was as if the world had become brighter and lot more confusing in one moment. Why did Chanyeol want to hang out? Where was he during class? What should he wear? He knew he would say yes, but his hands shook at the sudden rush of endorphins.

Kai stared at him and leaned over his shoulder to see what the message was, knocking the textbook out of his lap in the process.  “ _My love_? Are you seeing someone?” Kai snickered and nudged Baekhyun in the ribs.

Baekhyun jumped and covered his phone. “No! I just – he’s no one. I mean, I – God. Okay, no I’m not seeing him – I can’t – but I want to and why am I even telling you this?” Baekhyun babbled. He supposed it was the fact that when he first tutored Kai, that he told him everything that he did at parties, so part of him felt that the sharing part of their relationship was relatively open. That, and he really needed to vent to someone who had an outsider’s point of view.

He knew that Sehun would be biased since he wanted him and Chanyeol to be together, but Kai, had no ulterior interests at all. His opinion on the matter would actually affect things. Or at least give him an inkling as to how the rest of the school would react to him and Chanyeol dating. Then again, the school would be relatively surprised to see him in Wings of Fire – if he got in, that is – and would never look at him the same.

Kai nodded his head and patted his arm. “Nah, I get it. You like him, but you feel that he isn’t up to your standards….trust me I know the feeling. Didn’t stop me from hooking up though.”

Baekhyun shook his head, "It’s not that. I feel like _I_ don’t deserve him…” He smiled bitterly. Once again, he was wallowing in his self-pity over Chanyeol. He just wished that things were simpler. Why couldn’t he just have had a normal life, where he did not have so much on his shoulders, or such high expectations? Funnily enough, he would give anything just to be with him and yet the only thing holding him back was himself. The irony of it all made him even more bitter.

Kai bit his lip and then shook his head. “Wait, how the hell do you not deserve him? You’re, like, the school’s poster child.”

Baekhyun scoffed. “I have some pretty big skeletons in my closet, Kai. Let’s not get into this right now. Back to chemistry.” Suddenly he felt like ‘sharing-hour’ was over. All he needed was to have the wrong buttons pushed and he’d go spiraling down into the depths of his despair over the whole situation. If he used Chanyeol as a hook up then he’d be hurting himself and Chanyeol even more. Especially when it seemed that Chanyeol had some type of feelings for him too. Unless it was all in his head. Baekhyun frowned. He put up his walls and flipped through the pages in the textbook until he found the next concept they had covered.

Kai shrugged his shoulders. He knew when to drop a subject and Baekhyun was grateful for that. “Are you going to say yes?” He said after a beat and then trained his eyes on the textbook.

Baekhyun blushed. “Yeah…I figure it can’t hurt to be friends.” ‘ _At least if we’re friends then if I suddenly stop talking to him, it won’t be so hard. But friends don’t spend hours making out, so then, what are we to each other?’_ His mind was a mess, and he stared at the message before he replied.

“Oh…” Kai whispered. His face took on a thoughtful expression and he bit his lip. He fidgeted uncomfortably and stared at his hands.

Baekhyun wondered who he was thinking about, when it suddenly hit him. “You like Kyungsoo right?” It seemed like everyone was having some type of relationship issue.

Kai jumped and his eyes widened. “What? No!” He grabbed the textbook and pointed to a page. “This is what we’re reviewing next right?”

Baekhyun stifled a chuckle. It looked like Sehun was going to lose five hundred dollars.

 

~*~

Chanyeol scrolled past another video with dull eyes. It was nearly six in the evening and he had watched at least seventy videos. His neck hurt from staying in one position for too long and he was sure his right leg had fallen asleep. He found one that caught his eye and clicked on it. The moment it started he sat back and listened intently.

The guy had a voice that was incredibly similar to Dongmin’s. However, the screen was blanked out, so he had no idea who was actually singing. For all he knew Dongmin could have sent in a video as a joke. He drummed his fingers on the desk and nodded his head. Not only was the guy singing, but he was playing the guitar quite well. When the video came to an end, he added the link to a document for later reviewing and then spun around in the chair.

Lin and Ai both looked up at the same time, quizzical expressions on their faces. Chanyeol stretched his arms and then stood up. “I think I’m going to get some fresh air.”

“I’ll go with you!” Ai jumped up and smoothed her hair.

Chanyeol faltered. “Um, no thank you.” He wanted to be alone for a bit, to clear his mind and to get rid of the kinks in his muscles. Plus, he felt uneasy about the way she looked at him, and had no desire to be alone with her.

Ai visibly deflated and plopped back down on the bed while Lin simply raised an eyebrow at Chanyeol and inched forward until she could reach under her bed, and pulled out a magazine. She had finished her hair earlier and it actually looked pretty good, as far as Chanyeol was concerned. “Take your time, we can keep ourselves entertained.”

Chanyeol shrugged his shoulders and grabbed his phone off the desk. The moment his hand met the device, it vibrated and Baekhyun’s name flashed across the screen. He paused by the door to read the message, and a large smile adorned his lips and he let out a small chuckle. It seemed as though he and Baekhyun were going on a date tomorrow and he could not be happier.

“Alright, Yeolie, what does that smile mean? Are you and your precious lover hooking up soon?” Lin certainly had a way of being blunt about everything.

When Chanyeol looked up at them, he was met by very different reactions. Lin was smiling smugly, while Ai looked as if she was holding her breath. He regarded her cautiously, and then addressed Lin. “Yeah, he said he’d love to hang out with me.” He glanced back down at his phone and grinned. He still could not believe that Baekhyun had said yes.

“I knew it! All you had to do was grow some kahunas and ask him.” Lin laughed. She nudged Ai and continued, “Aren’t you happy for him? He’s finally gonna get laid.”

Ai wrinkled her nose. “I don’t think Chanyeol is like that,” She turned to Chanyeol, “Right Channie?”

“Uhh…” Chanyeol was at a loss for words. He suddenly felt as though the spotlight was on him and did not know how to handle it. He could already see that there would be some type of conflict in the future and all that did was add stress. He really needed a drink to ease his nerves.

“Relax, I’m just joking. I know how he is.” She rolled over until she was staring at her ceiling. “I’m just happy that they’re at least getting the ball rolling. Seriously, it was about time.”

Ai cleared her throat softly. “I should get going…I have something to do.” She sprang to her feet and gave a curt nod to Chanyeol before practically sprinting out of the room.

Chanyeol frowned. “I’m not sure having her in the band is going to work out.”

Lin shrugged. "It’s just a little crush, she’ll get over it. I had to.”

Chanyeol’s eyes widened and he furrowed his eyebrows. “Wait…are you saying that _you_ liked _me_?”

“Keyword: _liked_.” She deadpanned. “But, yeah, you’re attractive, so why wouldn’t I have liked you? Anyways, that was eons ago, dust under the carpet or whatever. Now I have my sights on someone else.”

Chanyeol rolled his eyes. He knew he had to escape before Lin went on one of her rants about why this new guy was so perfect. “I’m heading out now, talk to you later, Lin.” He slipped out without pausing to look back because he already knew the face she was giving him.

He tossed his phone in the air a few times as he walked down the hallway. He wondered what he would do for his and Baekhyun’s date, and figured it would probably be best to simply ask him. He stepped out into the setting sun and took a deep breath. Today he made the first move, tomorrow he hoped that it would prove to be fruitful. He watched the leaves blow in the wind and sighed. His mind was at peace, but his emotions were still in turmoil. He just wanted for things to work out between them.

After a few more minutes of simply thinking, Chanyeol began making his way to the dorm. He wondered briefly if Kyungsoo had anything planned. He had not spent much time with him and still had no clue what made Kyungsoo look so broken last night. He had been so caught up in his own life that he forgot to ask him this morning.

When he arrived, he nearly slammed into Kai who was walking backwards out of the dorm, with Kyungsoo playfully pushing him out. “I said maybe, okay? Now let’s go or we’ll be late.” Kyungsoo laughed and continued to push Kai out the door, his eyes crinkling at the edges.

Chanyeol watched them with an amused expression and side stepped Kai. “Where are you two going?” He was happy to see Kyungsoo finally getting out of the dorm, even though he wanted chill with him for a bit. But he supposed that he could always ask him for advice once he got back.

Kyungsoo jumped and pulled his hand away from Kai’s chest. His eyes widened and he blushed profusely. “N-nowhere! We’re just friends I swear.”

Chanyeol snorted. He hadn't even asked him if they were friends or not. He simply assumed something was going on between them since the concert. Kyungsoo was such an open book that he didn’t even want to comment on it. He simply shook his head at him and then addressed Kai. “Don’t keep him out too late.”

Kai gave him a sly smile. “If he doesn’t return tonight, he’s in safe hands.”

Kyungsoo balked. “Don’t listen to him, we’re just going to the karaoke bar to help Baekhyun prepare for his audition for–.” He was about to add on, but Kai shot him an alarmed look, so he bit his lip instead.

“Oh, okay.” He knew vaguely that Baekhyun and Kyungsoo were friends, but he never knew that they were close enough to hang out at a karaoke bar together. “Is it just you three?”

“No, we’re meeting Tao there too, but I don’t really know him and –” Kyungsoo babbled.

Kai grabbed his arm suddenly and tugged him away. He gave Kyungsoo another sharp look and then called over his shoulder to Chanyeol, “I’ll bring him back, don’t worry.” He then whispered harshly to Kyungsoo as they walked away.

Chanyeol half smiled and shook his head again. Those two made quite a pair and as long as Kyungsoo was happy, he was happy. He pushed the door open and entered the common room. He pulled off his shoes and left them in a heap by the door and headed towards the fridge to grab a quick drink. He popped off the cap and took a swig. A little buzz would help him relax his aching muscles.

Once he was settled, he pulled his laptop on his lap and resigned to watching the last of the video auditions. It would take him most of the night, but at least he would be done since they closed the submission date after they received over two hundred of them. If he was ever put in a situation like this again, he would make a reminder to himself to close the submission time sooner.

 

~*~

Baekhyun tapped his foot as he scrolled through the song titles. He was the first one to arrive – Kai had left earlier to go ‘change his clothes’ – so he was completely alone. He wanted to wait until everyone got there before he ordered the drinks, but after sitting around for 30 minutes by himself, he got himself a beer and was sipping it.

He leaned back into the plush cushions and scrolled through some more songs. He wanted to find a ballad to show off his range, as well as a rock song to give everyone a feel for how he would sound with the band. He was almost certain that the karaoke bar would at least have one of Wings of Fire’s songs since they were a local band. Low and behold, he found one just as Tao walked in. He turned to him with a beaming face. “Hey, you made it!”

“Yeah, I said I would come didn’t I?” Tao laughed and placed his bag and staff by the door. “But, I have practice later on, so I can’t stay long.” He eyed the drink in Baekhyun’s hand and raised an eyebrow.

“Kai’s idea, but you don’t have to drink since you have practice.” He took another swing and waved him over to the seat. “Sit with me.”

Tao grinned. “I called my headmaster and just got out of practice so I can stay all night if I want.” He then stuck his head out the door and ordered himself a drink while they waited for the others to show up.

Baekhyun clapped him on the back once he sat down. “That’s perfect! I don’t have to rush now.” He could feel a slight buzz coming on and cursed himself for being a lightweight. He set the beer down and instead took a drink of water. He really did not want to be hung over for his date with Chanyeol tomorrow.

“Yeah, he was quite happy to see I was hanging out with friends actually. Speaking of which, it’s been forever since we’ve hung out.” Tao then scanned the room.

There was a knock on the door and tao got up to answer it. His drink had arrived and he tasted the fruity drink. When Baekhyun gave him a strange look he grinned. “These are way better than beer and you know it.” He stirred the drink with the little umbrella and asked, “Where’s everyone?”

“Right. And um, Kai said he had to go change his clothes, and Kyungsoo should be on his way.” Baekhyun checked his phone, “Yeah it’s only five minutes ‘til six so we’re just early.” He set down his phone and turned to face Tao. “Anyways, let’s catch up, what’s going on in your life?”

Tao shrugged. “Not much really. Things have calmed down, and I only have one assignment to work on, since the rest of my classes aren’t assigning work until after break.” He then smiled shyly as if there was something he was hiding.

Baekhyun knew that grin from a mile away. It seemed as though everyone around him was getting involved with someone, while he was stuck by himself. He momentarily frowned and then smiled, he was at least happy to see Tao doing well. “So, are you going to tell me who made you smile like that?” He wriggled his eyebrows. Tao was relatively secretive about his personal life, but since they had a close relationship – as a result of the night that Baekhyun stopped Tao from killing himself – he knew it was only a matter of time before Tao could no longer hold it in.

“Well, it’s not official, but he kind of confessed to me last night, and invited me to his house for break, so I think it could get serious.” Tao blushed and sipped his drink. “Well at least I hope it gets serious, he’s really nice and I feel a connection with him.”

Baekhyun raised an eyebrow, “Who?” He stared at Tao’s drink and wondered what it tasted like. “May I try?”

“Kris.” Tao said as he handed over his drink. Already he seemed to have loosened up and tossed his jacket on the arm of the sofa.

“Mmm, this is good, I might get one.” Baekhyun stared at Tao, his eyes absorbing every inch of him. They would make an attractive couple. They both had an exotic look to them. He nodded and then smiled. “Good choice.” He could feel something in the back of his mind nagging him about Kris, but he ignored it. Right now, he had other things to worry about. He glanced at his phone once more, it was three after six, and then smiled. “I bet you Kai is harassing Kyungsoo right now…what do you think?”

“Harassing?” Tao tilted his head to the side and wrinkled his nose. He reached for his drink and then finished it.

“They like each other, but will never admit it.” Baekhyun snorted, handing it over. “Cliché if you ask me, but I made a bet with Sehun that they’d be together by Christmas, and so far, I think I’m winning.”

Tao nodded. “Well, I don’t really know either of them, so I can’t tell you, but–”

Just then, Kai and Kyungsoo burst through the door, squabbling loudly as they tumbled to the floor. They both froze for a moment, staring into each other’s eyes until Baekhyun cleared his throat.

“I told you it was this bar! God, Kai, you’re an idiot!” Kyungsoo rolled off of Kai and brushed himself off. His face was bright red and turned an even deeper shade when he saw that he had an audience, but he pulled himself together. He glanced at Baekhyun and smiled and then turned to Tao. “You must be Tao, I’m Kyungsoo.” He held out his hand and Tao shook it.

The entire exchange took place while Kai remained on his back on the ground. He nodded towards Tao and flashed him a wicked grin, “I’m Kai, nice to meet you.”

Baekhyun stared at them all and then started laughing. He caught Tao’s eye and they shared a nod of knowledge as Kyungsoo kicked Kai and told him to get up. He grabbed his phone off the table and sent Sehun a quick message.

**6:09pm – Better get ready to pay up, they’re bickering like a married couple**

Kai sprung to his feet, “I already pre-gamed a bit, but I’ll order us a round of shots.” He left the room with Kyungsoo staring at him quizzically.

Baekhyun smirked. “It was his idea, and I figured we could have a bit of fun tonight anyways.” He then stood at the front of the room. “Anyways, I need all your help and since we’re all friends here, I think we can all keep this a secret.” He waited for their full attention before continuing. “I have a very important audition coming up on Friday and I need your opinions on my voice.”

“In other words, he wants us to give him a big head.” Kai laughed as he walked in carrying a tray of shots. He set them on the table and then handed one to Tao, Kyungsoo, and himself. When Baekhyun gave him a look, he then got up and handed him one as well. “You were already standing, don’t see why you couldn’t get one yourself.” He grumbled.

Baekhyun gave him a wary look. “Yeah, but I really want your honest opinions, so don’t hold back.” He downed the shot and enjoyed the burn. Something about getting a little tipsy made him giddy.

Tao chimed in, “Wait, what are you auditioning for?”

Baekhyun was about to answer, but Kyungsoo stole the limelight when he sputtered from his shot. He stood as he began a full on coughing fit and Kai started patting him on the back. Each pat got progressively lower until he smacked him on the butt. “K-kai!”

“Friends touch each other’s butts, right Baekhyun?” Kai smirked and looked quite pleased with himself over Kyungsoo’s reaction. He found Tao staring at him and gave him a wink as he grabbed another shot and downed it.

Baekhyun shook his head, “ _Anyways_ , I’m auditioning for a band that I love, and I’d really like to get in, so let’s get started okay?” He looked pointedly at Kai, “And stop harassing your boyfriend.”

“We’re not boyfriends!” They yelled at the same time and then stared at each other. A shared look of mild horror panned both of their faces and they settled back into the seat quietly, carefully creating a slight distance between them.

“Alright then,” Baekhyun cleared his throat. “I’m going to start with a ballad and then sing one of their songs.” He picked up the control and started the song.

 

////

 

Kris glanced at the time on his phone and hoped that Tao was home. He usually never had a reason to be in this area of the campus, since he was not studying art in any shape or form, but he wanted to drop by and explain to him about last night. He hoped he had not made too much of a fool of himself.

The sky was nearly purple as the sun set. It was only a little after six in the evening and since most people did not do things that time on a Monday he was almost certain that he was in his dorm. But then again, he had not heard from him all day so he had no idea how badly he messed up. He let out a sigh and watched as his breath formed a small cloud in front of him. The nights were getting even colder.

He wondered if his secret helper would text him again, but he had been silent as well, so Kris was going into this blind. Kris adjusted his lens-less glasses and walked a little faster towards Tao’s dorm. He only knew where it was after consulting Jongdae and now owed the guy front row seats to the next game.

He took the steps two at a time to the second floor and rapped on the door twice. He had already rehearsed what he was going to say and felt pretty sure that Tao would not say no to a surprise date to the mini carnival that opened the day before.

“Hey, Tao I–” Kris froze and he blinked rapidly at the unexpected face. “Yixing?” His voice came out as a hoarse whisper. He had no idea they were rooming together. Just when he thought he would be able to avoid him, he kept showing up when he least expected it.

“Kris, what are you doing here?” Yixing deadpanned. He seemed to recover from the shock much quicker than Kris.

“I wanted to talk to Tao…I didn’t know you were his roommate.” He shifted his weight to his other foot and looked everywhere but Yixing’s face. He could not deal with him now. He just wanted to get Tao and leave. In fact, he wanted to turn around and leave and text Tao instead. That’d be much easier than dealing with Yixing.

The sun was completely out of the sky by now, so that meant the carnival would be in full force with couples snuggling up to each other and children screaming on the rides. He wanted to buy the unhealthy fried carnival food and bask in the overly sweetened drinks with Tao. He wanted to make his night one to remember. However, he did not want to talk to Yixing, not at all.

“He’s not here.” Yixing stated and then stepped back, “But, I need to talk to you about him actually, so come inside.”

Kris hesitated by the door. He’d rather be dead than be in a room alone with Yixing. There were far too many things that could be said that would destroy any chances he would have with Tao. He cursed himself for not texting Tao first to see if he was busy. It was just his luck that he would be. He sighed loudly and stepped in glancing around at his surroundings, completely on edge.

Yixing closed the door behind him and directed him to the common room. His face was stern and he waited until Kris sat down before he started talking. “Tao is a bit different,” Yixing warned.

“I know.” Kris said as he stared at his hands. It was the main reason why he liked him so much. There was a quiet-calm about him and that drew him in. He wanted to know more about Tao and as he dug in deeper, the more he found himself falling for him. It was for that reason why he confessed last night. He went out on a limb, and was shot down. But, Kris was not the type to give up. He suspected that somewhere deep inside of Tao, that the feelings were mutual.

“I swear, if you hurt him in any way, I will never let you see the end of it.” Yixing threatened. “He has had enough shit happen to him in the past year and he certainly does not need any more drama.”

The last time Kris had seen Yixing this upset, was back when they broke up. It was just as unnerving now as it was then.  However, Kris knew exactly what Yixing was hinting at. “I’m clean, I swear. I stopped the day you left and I haven’t touched the stuff since.” If he had known that getting into steroids would affect his life so much back then, he never would have given in to the peer pressure.

Yixing visibly relaxed slightly. “You better, because I have spent God knows how long getting him back to a state where he can function on a daily basis. If you do anything, and I mean _anything_ , to make him back pedal I will never forgive you.”

Kris nodded. “I understand, and I swear on my life I will not hurt him.” At least he would never hurt him intentionally.

 

~*~

Tao was quite shocked when Baekhyun let out the first note. There was a nice timbre to Baekhyun’s overall singing voice, but that first note gave him chills. It was right in the ‘sweet spot’ of his range and the emotion put behind it made the song seem much more personal than it actually was. He found himself swaying and closing his eyes while he listened. Even though he was already feeling a bit fuzzy in the head, he was definitely enjoying the show.

He heard a soft gasp to his left when Baekhyun it a high note and when he looked over, Kai’s mouth was hanging open and Kyungsoo’s eyes were even wider than they normally were. They were both leaning forward, entranced, and Tao was pretty sure they did not realize that their hands were clasped. He smiled at them and turned back to Baekhyun, who was now getting lost in the song.

He could not help but think of Kris as he sang. The song was about loving someone who flew into your unexpectedly, and Kris happened to be just that. Of course he had secretly been pining over him since the team’s first win, but no one knew that but him.

Tao watched as Baekhyun swayed, and lowered the microphone during the instrumental part. His face was completely open and he wondered if Baekhyun was in fact singing this song for someone special. He raised the microphone with trembling hands and sang the final verse, almost in a whisper. When he finished, he was still caught up in the emotions of the song, so his initial smile was a little heartbreaking.

Kai was the first to say something. “Baekhyun, if I had known that you could actually sing, I would have told you to give up on the medical field and go straight for stardom.” He glanced down at his and Kyungsoo’s clasped hands and then into Kyungsoo’s eyes and slowly unwound their fingers.

Tao looked up at Baekhyun, who was beaming and added his two cents. “If whoever you audition for doesn’t immediately accept you, then they’re insane.” He paused and thought for a bit. “But you said you had a rock song to sing…so we should probably hear that before we praise you anymore.”

Kyungsoo let out a low whistle. “I’m going to murder Chanyeol if he doesn’t let you in the band. You are exactly what they need…” he trailed off and let the statement hang in the air. It seemed that there was more to what he was saying, but Tao was not entirely sure. Then again being a tiny bit buzzed did not really help.

Baekhyun nodded his head and then started singing his cover of Wings of Fire’s most popular song. Tao had to admit to himself that Baekhyun truly matched the style of the bands songs. Even in the small karaoke room, his presence overflowed and for the first time, Tao could see just how much Baekhyun was made for the stage. He could already see him on the stage, with all the charisma in the world packed inside of him, while he wooed the crowd with not only his vocal talent, but his very being.

Once he finished, he gave them all an eager look and said, “So…do you think I have a shot?”

They all snorted at the same time and then laughed. “Of course you have a shot, if Chanyeol was here, you’d already be in.” Kyungsoo stood up and clapped Baekhyun on the back.

Kai jumped to his feet and also expressed how impressed he was. He joked about Baekhyun forgetting about the band and going for a solo career, but Baekhyun gave him a dirty look and told him that the whole reason he was even risking the auditions was because he wanted to be in the band, and that made Kai roll his eyes.

Tao observed all of this and made a mental note to tell Luhan that he had been wrong to assume things about Kai. Seeing just how friendly he was with both Baekhyun and Kyungsoo, challenged the cold impression he had of him. He sat back in his seat and smiled. It seemed that each day he was learning something new about people in general.

 

 

////

The next song that came on was one from their childhood. After the first few notes, Baekhyun sprung to his feet and started dancing wildly to it. It was only a matter of time before everyone joined him. “I haven’t heard this is forever.”

Tao laughed and spun with Kyungsoo while he and Kai followed the dance moves the lyrics were saying. “It’s been so long.”

Baekhyun put his hands on his hips and then shook his butt. He let himself be free as they all looked ridiculous following the moves. It wasn’t until the song was over that he leaned against Kai, causing him to fall onto the table. He then reached for Kyungsoo, who sidestepped him and tripped over Kai’s feet and landed face first into his crotch. In the end he was caught my Tao who burst out laughing.

Kai and Kyungsoo were frozen in a state of shock and Baekhyun doubled over. Tears spilled over and his sides ached. He swore he was in some type of movie and almost looked for the cameras. But when Kai and Kyungsoo still had not moved he cleared his throat. “Guys…”

Kyungsoo slowly stood up and wiped his hands on his pants. “I’ll sing the next song.”

Kai remained frozen with a shocked look on his face. It took Baekhyun snapping his fingers in front of his face to bring him back. “You okay?”

“Uh, yeah.” He shifted uncomfortably and slid from the table to the floor, half sitting under it.

Baekhyun gave Tao look and then slowly sat down on the chair as Kyungsoo picked a song. When he began singing, he nodded in approval. Kyungsoo had a very soulful voice and it was very smooth as well, almost like honey, but it had a warmer feel to it. Baekhyun could not put his finger on what it was exactly but the look on Kai’s face as he watched him made him snap a picture and send it to Sehun. ‘ _Looks like lover-boy is drooling over Kyungsoo’s singing.’_ He thought to himself as he typed it in his phone. He already knew he was going to win this bet by a landslide.

 

A half hour later, Baekhyun stood up. “So, Kai you should sing something.” Baekhyun prodded him with his index finger. He was positively tipsy at this point and he could clearly see that everyone else was as well. Besides he had already heard Kyungsoo sing five songs – mainly because Kai kept requesting songs for him – and he could see the look of helplessness on his friend’s face and decided it was time to give him a hand.

“No way, I can’t sing.” Kai scoffed and continued scrolling through the titles. He paused on one and turned to Kyungsoo. “Hey, sing this, it’s one of my favorites.”

“No, you sing it.” Kyungsoo crossed his arms and plopped down on the other side of Baekhyun, next to Tao, who he then started a conversation with. “Tell me about yourself, since you’ve been awfully quiet.”

Baekhyun nudged Kai again, “Seriously, just sing it, no one will judge you….or are you just scared to sing in front of Kyungsoo?” He smirked. He liked teasing Kai whenever he could, and especially in front of someone he was trying to impress. The fact that he was trying so hard added another tally mark on Baekhyun’s end of the bet and he could not help but snicker and plan what he was going to buy with five hundred dollars of extra cash.

Kai stuck out his tongue at him and then snatched the microphone from the table. “I’m only singing once, so you all better listen up.” He pressed the button and then spoke again, "It’s dedicated to someone I know, and don’t bother guessing, because I’ll never tell you who it is.”

Baekhyun rolled his eyes, “Oh please, we all know it’s Kyungsoo.” He turned just in time to see Kyungsoo’s cheeks flush bright red even though he was still pointedly ignoring Kai and forcing Tao to talk.

Kai narrowed his eyes at him, “No…whatever, think what you want, I know who it’s meant for and that’s all that matters.” Yet, his cheeks were flushed as well.

Baekhyun laughed. He was now completely positive that Kai was head over heels in love with Kyungsoo. Now all he had to do was find a way to get Kyungsoo show more signs of reciprocating the feelings and then he had won the bet. He already taunted Sehun with pictures of Kai ogling Kyungsoo while he was singing and no matter how much Sehun denied it, he could help but rub it in his face that he was going to win. Although, Sehun had not answered his last text and he had sent it nearly twenty minutes ago, so he guessed that he was busy with Luhan at the moment.

Kai cleared his throat and started singing. The collective hush that fell over all of them actually made him hesitate for a few seconds and he missed his next cue. Baekhyun turned, wide eyed and gaped at Tao and Kyungsoo. Now, Kai was not an _amazing_ singer by any standards, but he had a nice popish feel to his tone and it was incredibly pleasing to the ears.

Tao stood and crept over to his things and nodded to the door, signaling Baekhyun that he had to leave, but lingered for Kai to finish the song.

As he began the next verse, Kyungsoo rose to his feet, his face unreadable, and walked over to Kai and pulled the microphone from his hands and threw it on the ground. He leaned in close and muttered, “ _I do not like you.”_ Then he did something that shocked everyone and kissed him.

Baekhyun abruptly turned to Tao, to avert his eyes and cleared his throat. “Looks like I just won that bet.” He then took out his phone and snapped a picture and saved it for later when he would show Sehun in person. He could not wait to see the look on his face.

Tao mouthed the words ‘Oh my God,’ and gaped at Baekhyun, who clapped his hands. “Alright, break it up, we’re here to sing, not make out.”

That seemed to snap Kyungsoo out of whatever took over him and he sprang away. “Sorry, I don’t know – sorry.”

Baekhyun laughed awkwardly. He felt like a third wheel all of a sudden and Tao was still frozen by the door. He cleared his throat again and said, “Actually I think it’s time we call it a night.” He stepped outside with Tao and left Kai and Kyungsoo in the room by themselves.

“Well that escalated quickly.” Tao breathed.

Baekhyun scratched the back of his head his buzz had all but faded after that shock. “I’ll say. Maybe I should make a bet for you and Kris?” Once again he felt something ping in the back of his mind about him, but it was too vague for him fully grasp.

Tao laughed, “If you have some type of magical betting powers, then by all means, please make one.”

Baekhyun grinned and thought for a moment. “Okay, I bet that you and Kris will have something interesting happen tomorrow.” If this worked, then clearly he had magical powers and would soon start putting them to use in more lucrative matters, like horse races. He chuckled at the thought and then turned as Kai and Kyungsoo exited the room, both blushing.

“Uh, I just want you to know, that we’re just friends and nothing more.” Kai said gruffly. “What happened in that room was a minor lapse in Kyungsoo’s judgment and won’t happen again.” He then placed a hand on Kyungsoo’s shoulder and added, “We’ll leave first, good luck on your audition for WOF Baekhyun, I honestly think you’re going to get the spot.”

Baekhyun stared at them as they left and turned to Tao. “I think next time, it’ll just be you and me.” While he did not believe a word Kai just said, he had no desire to see those two go at it. He supposed it was an inkling of jealousy because they had it so simple and yet were being entirely stupid at the moment, while he and Chanyeol were so complicated.

“Yeah, that’s probably for the best.” Tao laughed and then stared directly past Baekhyun, over his shoulder, causing Baekhyun to turn around.

Baekhyun felt his stomach drop to his feet.

 

////

“Now that we have that settled,” Yixing began as he headed to the kitchen. “Tao is not going to be back until late because he is out with friends.”

Kris frowned. He really just wanted to see Tao, but now that seemed like that would not be happening anytime tonight. Perhaps he could just invite Tao to the carnival tomorrow, only he’d make sure to call or at least text to make sure he was home. He stood up, ready to go, but Yixing interrupted him.

“I’m almost done making dinner, Junmyeon will be here in a bit and will want to speak to you as well. You’re welcome to stay for dinner if you want.” Yixing said as he lifted the lid of a pot and stirred the contents. His back was still turned, but Kris could feel that he was only offering out of his need to be polite.

Kris hesitated. He had no desire to be in the dorm alone with Yixing any longer than he needed to. While he was hungry, he did not want to stay. He bit his lip and started to decline, but Junmyeon walked through the door.

They both froze and stared at each other. Yixing walked out of the kitchen, wiping his hands on a dishtowel and laughed. “Kris just came over to see Tao, but he’s not here, so I invited him to dinner.” He gave Junmyeon a quick peck on the cheek and then began setting the table.

A charge passed through the air and Kris felt his anxiety heighten. He started to the door once more, but Junmyeon stopped him. “You should stay for dinner.” It seemed as though he meant no harm, but then again, Kris had no idea what he was thinking, since his face had not changed one bit. He remained placid, but there had to be a storm brewing beneath the surface. There was no way the man that was dating his ex would be perfectly fine with him being in there at all.

Kris shook his head, “No, thank you, I should really be going.” He felt jittery and wanted to leave even more now.

“You should stay; honestly, Xingxing always makes too much food.” Junmyeon insisted and grabbed Kris’s arm lightly. His expression remained cool, but Kris felt the panic rise within him.

_‘This is a trap!’_ He screamed in his mind and smiled awkwardly. “No, really, I have somewhere to be.” It was all he could do to not run out the door in that moment.

“But –” Junmyeon started but was cut off by Yixing.

“If he doesn’t want to stay he doesn’t have to.” His tone was unexpectedly cold even though he was smiling. Another aspect that Kris had not seen since they broke up. Tonight was bringing back too many memories.

Kris knew better than to stick around after hearing him speak like that. It was a precursor to him exploding, and he did not want to be on the receiving end of that again. He winced involuntarily and shook his head. "It’s okay…I’ll just go.”

“Aw, just have a few bites and then leave? You don’t have to stay for the whole dinner if you don’t want to.” Junmyeon pleaded. He was still about as emotionless as an iceman and that unnerved Kris. He felt as though he had walked right into an alternate universe.

Kris stared at him and then glanced at Yixing who was still holding the third plate in his hands – they were shaking. He had no idea why Junmyeon wanted him to stay so badly, but he could feel the tension rolling off of Yixing and wanted out, _now_. He took another step towards the door and politely declined once more, but Junmyeon would have none of that. He simply dragged him over to the table and made him sit down.

“There, now I can question you without Tao hovering.” Junmyeon chirped and sat down on the other side of Kris. He raised an eyebrow at Yixing and waited for him to set down Kris’s plate before he continued. “Now, I know that you want to get involved with Tao, I have no problem with that, but I swear on my mother’s grave, if you hurt him–”

Kris cut him off, “I know, Yixing already lectured me. I promise I have nothing but good intentions.” It was somewhat amusing to him how Yixing and Junmyeon were working as stand in parents for Tao. But it was also odd how overprotective they were as well. It made him think that perhaps it was because Tao did not have parents of his own that they stepped in. After all, he knew Yixing eventually wanted to adopt kids in the future, so he guessed in a way they adopted Tao. He briefly wondered if they were hiding something that he did not know about Tao yet.

It was not until halfway through the meal that Kris noticed the white gold band on Yixing’s ring finger. The room spun and a cold sweat settled on his skin. He could only hear his heartbeat in his ears and a feeling of betrayal bubbled up inside. He nearly choked and immediately started coughing. He reached for the glass of wine and took a sip while Junmyeon whacked him on the back. How could Yixing say yes to Junmyeon after a year?

“You okay?” He asked as he continued hitting him until Kris raised his arm to stop him.

He cleared his throat and took another sip. “Y-yeah, I just didn’t chew properly.” He suddenly felt like he was going to be sick and scooted his chair backwards. “Excuse me, I need to go…” He needed to get out of the dorm as fast as he could.

Yixing reached for his glass of wine and brought it to his lips, the ring glistened and Kris felt his world sway. Sure he was currently pursuing Tao, but seeing a ring on Yixing’s finger was like a stake to the heart. His sudden vertigo caused him to stumble as he watched.

“Hey you should come to our brunch tomorrow.” Junmyeon said as he walked with Kris over to the door. “Tao’s going.”

Kris felt his smile waver. “Um…” He glanced back at Yixing who was regarding him curiously and then back to Junmyeon.

"It’ll also be a great opportunity for us to see how you two interact with each other.” Junmyeon added and then smiled warmly. “We’re only concerned for him, no hard feelings okay?”

“None taken,” Kris murmured. He really did not want to go, but he figured that he could not turn them down. If he could pass their tests for him – since they were acting as Tao’s guardians – then he would be in the clear. Yet, he could not imagine spending the entire morning at a boring brunch. He sighed heavily and rested his hand on the knob. “I’ll go.” He knew he really did not want to, but the chance of seeing Tao was too hard to pass up.

“Good, we’ll stop by your dorm around nine in the morning.” Junmyeon smiled. “Dress casual since we’re going to be outside.”

Kris raised an eyebrow. So they were not going to a restaurant? He almost breathed a sigh of relief, at least if things went badly, he could blame it on the weather or something. “We are?”

“Yeah, I wanted to go to a restaurant, but Junmyeon wanted to celebrate at the carnival.” Yixing stated rather icily. His entire demeanor was still in defense mode and that made Kris regret his decision to go.

“I think celebrations are supposed to be fun, so why not the carnival?” Junmyeon grinned and attempted to lead him back to the table. “Don’t you think that a carnival would be more enjoyable, Kris?”

Kris remained rooted to his spot. He had been planning on going with Tao to the carnival in the first place, and now he would be going with those two tagging along. He had no idea how he would handle that and did not want to see them acting lovey dovey with each other at all. “Yeah, carnivals are definitely more fun.” He swallowed thickly when he met Yixing’s gaze and almost rescinded his decision to go.

“Then it’s settled. We’ll see you tomorrow? Unless you’d like to finish your meal first?” Junmyeon gave him a hopeful look.

Kris stared at the ground. “I have to go, but yeah, tomorrow.” What had he gotten himself into?

 

////

Chanyeol froze and his gaze flitted from Baekhyun to who he assumed to be Tao and then back to Baekhyun. He was not supposed to have been seen, but he could no longer hear what Baekhyun was saying and his curiosity got the best of him, so he had crept closer to the pair.

Baekhyun sputtered and Tao was the one who spoke, “You’re that guy from that band!” He then turned to Baekhyun and shook his shoulders excitedly, "It’s that guy!”

“His name is Chanyeol –” Baekhyun placed a hand on Tao’s and stopped him from shaking him.

“My name is Chanyeol –” Chanyeol said at the exact same time.

They froze again and stared at each other until the mood became uncomfortably awkward. The three of them waited for one another to start talking, and when no one did, they all started at the same time, only to stop again.

Finally Tao broke the silence again, “I really should get going, nice seeing you Baekhyun, and nice meeting you Chanyeol.”

They both watched him leave and then stared at each other for a few moments longer. Chanyeol took a step forward and Baekhyun remained frozen. “Uh, hi?” He could smell the sickly sweet scent of liquor on him. When on earth did Baekhyun drink? Then again, he did not fully know him, so he supposed a night out with friends entailed a few drinks every now and then.

“Why weren’t you in class today?” Baekhyun’s words rushed out so fast that Chanyeol simply blinked before his ears caught up.

“Oh, I was watching audition videos, speaking of auditions, what are you auditioning for?” Chanyeol was not sure what answer he was hoping for, but he was able to put two and two together. His band needed a new singer, and Baekhyun was just leaving a karaoke bar, so the two could be related.

“Um, nothing, we were joking, no big deal.” Baekhyun said quickly once more. Then he took a step forward and narrowed his eyes at Chanyeol, “But why are you here?”

Chanyeol came up with an excuse off the top of his head. “I was on my way to that liquor store to get some beer for a party I’m headed to.” Hopefully Baekhyun would not ask him what party, because while he was certain there was one, he still did not know where it was and was not planning on going to one in the first place.

“Oh, I’ll walk with you to the store then.” Baekhyun smiled and started walking in the direction of the liquor shop.

Chanyeol groaned internally. He knew that he should not have lied, but it was too late now. He fell into step with Baekhyun and they walked in silence at first, until he could no longer take it. He was about to ask him what he wanted to do tomorrow, when his phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID and answered it.

“Hey, Lin.” He held the door open for Baekhyun to walk through and continued talking. “Did you need something?”

“Yeah there’s a party in the Common dorm and we’re out of booze.”

Chanyeol nearly choked. This was entirely too coincidental. He suddenly had the feeling of divine intervention on his part. “I’m actually already at the store, I was planning on heading over there soon.” He lied again, but now that his previous lie turned out to be the truth, he supposed a few hours at the party wouldn’t do too much harm, so once again, his lie morphed into truth.

Baekhyun gave him a curious glance and then continued scanning the various mixers and chasers. He picked out a couple of hard liquors and a few fruity mixers and chasers and brought them to the register. He went back to the aisle and grabbed a few bottles of tequila and brought those to the register as well.

Chanyeol watched him and frowned. “Hey, Lin, I’ll see you later.” He hung up and placed a hand on Baekhyun’s shoulder. “What are you doing?”

“I’m going to the party with you.” He looked determined and walked back into the aisle and brought out a few kegs and rolled them to the counter.

“Since when do you party?” Chanyeol frowned even more. Baekhyun was the star student of the school. His image was squeaky clean and he was known to be very studious, so the fact that he was now bringing all sorts of alcoholic beverages to the counter felt wrong.

“Since now. It’s time I let loose a little.” While his voice sounded strong, his hands were trembling.

Chanyeol caught his wrist and turned him to face him. When Baekhyun stumbled, he placed another hand on his shoulder to steady him. “I really don’t think that’s a good idea.” He had the strange sensation that Baekhyun was not being himself at that moment and it worried him. He did not want to see anything bad happen to him, and even though he’d be at the party as well, someone who was new to the scene was often persuaded into doing things in order to fit in.

“I can handle myself.” Baekhyun replied and pulled out a wad of cash and placed it on the counter. That set off a few alarms in Chanyeol’s mind, but he was more concerned for Baekhyun demeanor than why he was paying with a large roll of cash.

The cashier stared at him and counted it out. “I need some ID, kid.”

Chanyeol watched as Baekhyun pulled out his card and handed it over to the cashier. He did not like where things were going, especially not since Baekhyun was acting so odd all of a sudden.

They left the store carrying multiple bags and rolling the kegs to Chanyeol’s car. When they got there, Baekhyun simply hopped in and waited for Chanyeol to start the engine. Chanyeol stared at him. “I’m just going to drop everything off, we can go do something else.” Now that they were in close confines the smell of liquor was even stronger. “Baekhyun, are you drunk?!”

“No, I want to go to the party.” Baekhyun stated and trained his eyes on the road as they sped down it.

Chanyeol pursed his lips and said nothing. He had a really bad feeling about this, but he could not exactly tell Baekhyun what to do. They rode in tense silence, with Chanyeol fidgeting in the driver’s seat and Baekhyun staring ahead dully. Everything felt so out of place. Sure he had a few drinks with friends, but it was so weird seeing Baekhyun this way. It was not until they pulled up into the school’s parking lot that he finally spoke. “You don’t have to do this…”

Baekhyun stared at him. “I…okay, take me home.” His shoulders drooped and he bit his lip.

Chanyeol gripped the steering wheel and then made a quick call on his phone to get people to pick up the alcohol. He watched Baekhyun as the car was unloaded and wondered what on earth could possibly be going through his head. He wondered what caused him to suddenly switch up on their way to buy the drinks and what made him give up just now.

He felt that there was something darker plaguing him, and he wanted to help him in any way he could. He felt a peculiar pain in his chest as Baekhyun stared out the window with an empty expression on his face. How had he gotten so attached to a perfect stranger?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long time no see....sorry about that :/ I really have no excuses other than life getting in the way and completely losing inspiration for the fic. It will be finished and I have the whole thing planned out I just got stuck for this update tbh and finally worked things out! The next update should be before Christmas because it's part of my Christmas gift to all you guys who read/subscribed. This is part one of three/four parts so after this huge chapter, things should be smooth sailing in terms of updates as the next chapters after this one are pretty much written.


	12. Props &Mayhem

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Holidays~ Long chapter is long!
> 
> Last Updated on December of 2013, but there is an update coming soon~

Baekhyun practically slammed Chanyeol up against his door. His heart was racing and his hands roamed his body. He kissed him desperately, just needing some type of confirmation that he was not going crazy and deluding himself into believing that somehow, Chanyeol liked him in return. Sure, the alcohol had given him more confidence, but he could feel it already wearing off.

Maybe if they went a little further, he’d be certain and could possibly risk giving his heart to Chanyeol fully. As soon as the thought crossed his mind, he recoiled and took a step backwards. “S-sorry.” There was no way Chanyeol could possibly care for someone like him. He had too much baggage, too many skeletons in his closet and some of them he was not ready to get rid of.

Chanyeol stared at him with a concerned expression. “Do you need to talk? I don’t mind listening, and you seem really upset right now.”

“Leave.” Baekhyun whispered. He didn’t want Chanyeol to see him cry. Why he felt like crying all of a sudden, he did not know. It just felt like everything was crashing down on him in this moment and he did not know where to turn. He stared at the ground between his shoes and waited for Chanyeol to move. His chest felt tight and his throat constricted as he held back the tears.

He felt him wrap his arms around him from behind and almost sagged into them. He tensed and turned around shoving him backwards. “Get out!” Truthfully he didn’t want him to leave. He wanted him to wrap him in his arms again and tell him everything was going to be fine, but as the first tear escaped, he turned back around and bit his fist to keep from sobbing.

Chanyeol furrowed his eyebrows and hesitated by the door. “I don’t know what’s going on, but things will work out, okay?”

Baekhyun let out a choked sob and waited until Chanyeol left. When he heard the soft click of the door, he collapsed to his knees and let his emotions flow out. He wished he knew why he was acting so moody, and he summed it up to the fact that everyone around him was finding their own happiness, while he was steady trampling all over his own. He knew he was the sole cause for his breakdown so when he heard the door open again, he prepared himself for Sehun’s lecture on wallowing in his own self-pity.

It never came, because instead of Sehun coming through the door, it was Chanyeol who helped him to his feet and brought him over to the sofa. It was Chanyeol who made him a cup of tea and who found a movie to put on the television. It was Chanyeol’s arms that wrapped around him and Chanyeol’s lips that pressed into his hair. And he had never felt guiltier in his entire life.

How was it possible he had ended up with someone so perfect while he was so messed up? It did not seem fair. He wanted it to be a cruel joke, but he knew just from the look on Chanyeol’s face, that there was something there and that terrified him. Why would he even like him? Of course Chanyeol only knew what most of the school knew about him, but if things got serious, then he would find out about his past and he couldn’t risk that.

 

 

Baekhyun snuck a glance at Chanyeol while they watched television and studied his face. They hesitated on his lips before traveling back to his eyes. He felt his cheeks grow warm as he had been caught by him. “You’re more interesting than the show.” It was out before he even knew what he was saying.

Chanyeol smiled and turned back to the screen. “Oh really?”

Baekhyun inched closer. “Much more interesting.” With each word he got even closer, causing them to shift until Chanyeol was on top of him. Baekhyun breathed in his scent as his weight settled on him. This was something he could get used to. A pang of guilt caused him to stiffen for a second, but he ignored it and tilted his head up towards Chanyeol.

Seeming to get the message, Chanyeol brushed his lips across Baekhyun’s causing the latter to shiver in delight. There was such a strong physical chemistry between them that he had to just go along with it. _‘Screw it all.’_ Baekhyun thought and laced his fingers through the silky auburn strands. He gave them a slight tug when Chanyeol bit his lip and sucked on it. God, he knew how to push all his buttons.

Baekhyun let out sharp breaths as Chanyeol kissed down his neck, tugging his shirt to the side to gain access to his chest. Each kiss was hot and the tenderness drove him wild. Without realizing, he was grinding into Chanyeol as he playfully nipped his collarbone.

A swipe of the tongue caused a moan, which made Chanyeol laugh, a deep rumbling in his chest. His eyes were full of complete lust and he smiled seductively. Baekhyun closed his eyes, knowing that if he kept looking at Chanyeol, he’d go much farther than he wanted.

Chanyeol slid a hand up Baekhyun’s shirt, fingers pressing into his skin and holding him still. The other hand pinned Baekhyun’s wrists above his head while he made a path down them. When he returned to Baekhyun’s lips, he groaned.

It was the single hottest sound Baekhyun had ever heard. He kissed him harder, sloppier, not caring what happened so long as he was pressed against Chanyeol. It felt so right, the way his body melted into his.

“Baek- oh god!” Sehun shouted as he entered the dorm, his coat covered in quickly melting snow. “Get a room, for crying out loud.” He had his eyes covered as he dropped his keys by his shoes and walked to his room.

Chanyeol looked horrified and that only spurred Baekhyun’s laughter. His entire body was shaking and once Chanyeol joined him in laughing they both separated and went to his room. “Sometimes he’s a brat, don’t mind him.”

Chanyeol scratched the back of his head, “Well we were in the common room…”

Baekhyun shrugged. If anything Sehun ought to be glad he was with Chanyeol right now. He sat on the edge of his bed and beckoned him with a finger. “Where were we?”

 

Around midnight Chanyeol sat up and whispered, “I should go.”

Baekhyun placed a hand on his back and responded, “Stay the night.” He knew he was not ready to be alone. He did not want to be plagued by his thoughts that tortured him at night. It was like something inside of him snapped and had yet to be mended and all he wanted was Chanyeol’s company.

“Only if you tell me something.” Chanyeol said as he leaned back, the bed creaking in protest under his weight. His hair was mussed from their make out session and it only made Baekhyun want to attack him with more steamy kisses.

Baekhyun sighed. He hoped Chanyeol would not ask him to explain what happened earlier, because he did not even know what caused it.  All he knew was that he had the sudden desire to do what Chanyeol did and to be where he was. He knew it was reckless and would blemish his reputation, but that was going to go down the drain anyways. “What?”

“What were you auditioning for?” His voice held hope in it as he stroked Baekhyun's hair.

Baekhyun tensed again. ‘ _Well, there went the extra make out session_.’ If he told him that he was auditioning for the band, then there was no option of him chickening out at the last moment. But, then again, if he told him, then maybe he could have a one-up on the rest of the people auditioning. He closed his eyes and sighed. “For Wings of Fire…”

“You’re in.” Chanyeol stated, his expression resolute. He played with Baekhyun’s fingers for a few seconds before meeting his eyes again.

Baekhyun froze in shock. Chanyeol had to be joking, there was no way he was serious. In fact, he had to be dreaming, because there was absolutely no way that he just got in the band without even singing to them. “You’re lying.”

Chanyeol stood up, “No, I’m not. You’re in, end of story. Now stop being so hard on yourself, okay? You have no idea how much it hurts me to see you like this.” He leaned down and kissed Baekhyun lightly on his temple and left before anything else could be said.

Baekhyun pushed himself up to a sitting position and stared at his door in disbelief. _‘What the hell was that?’_ He still could not wrap his mind around what had just happened. Chanyeol had pretty much just solidified that he cared for him and a wave of emotions rolled over him. He wasn’t sure if he should have been happy or sad. His heart was thumping loudly in his chest and he still felt like he was dreaming.

Not only that, but he was in the band. He did it and yet he did nothing at all. His eyes widened and a grin adorned his face as the feelings of guilt were replaced with extreme happiness. He squealed and kicked his feet under his sheets. He had reached his dream of being in the band. But it still felt off…he really wanted to see his reaction to him singing. No matter though, he got what he wanted and nothing could kill his mood now.

He jumped on his bed and spun around excitedly, shouting “Yes!” over and over causing the springs to creak. “Oh God yes!” He yelled and continued to bounce on his bed.

Just then Sehun knocked on the door, his voice muffled. “Can you do me a favor and keep it down? I’m glad you and Chanyeol are getting it on, but I’m exhausted.”

Baekhyun leaped from his bed and flung the door open to see Sehun standing there in his pajamas and pulled him into an excited hug. “I did it! I’m in the band!”

Sehun pushed him to arms’ distance and looked around. “Wait, where’s Chanyeol? Did he leave?”

Baekhyun hit Sehun playfully on the head. “Yes he’s gone, and besides, I at least have the decency not to have sex while you’re here.” He rolled his eyes and then added. “Aren’t you happy for me?”

“Wait – you’re serious? When did you audition? I thought they were on Friday?” Sehun’s eyes bugged out even more when Baekhyun nodded.

“I didn’t even audition; he just told me I was in. I don’t know why though, maybe he heard me singing or something…” Baekhyun bit his lip. He did not know how long Chanyeol was outside of their room at the karaoke, so there was a chance that he did hear him.

“Because he’s in love with you, you idiot!” He bopped him on the head with a flat hand. “He probably doesn’t even care if you can sing, luckily you do, and just wanted you in the band so he could spend more time with you.” Sehun replied and suddenly grabbed Baekhyun’s shoulders. “By the way, everything was taken care of so your name is being phased out right now.”

Baekhyun felt his eye twitch. He had forgotten all about the drugs today. There was too much on his mind today and that was when it dawned on him. “Sehun, shit! I have to go, like right now! I was supposed to meet at the safe house to pass it to one of my subordinates and I completely forgot!” He scrambled around his room, looking for the black hoodie and his other supplies, “Shit! Shit! Shit!”

Sehun grabbed a handful of Baekhyun’s shirt and pushed him towards the bed. “Stop. I’ll go, you need to stay out of this if we want you to be erased okay?”

Baekhyun started to protest, but Sehun shot him a harsh look that shut him up. He stared at his feet and said. “But, I don’t want you to get in trouble.”

“I’ll be fine, I have my sources so I won’t get caught.” Sehun said as he walked out the door. “Besides, I’ve already gotten out of the loop before, I can do it again.”

Baekhyun pursed his lips. He felt like he was losing a part of himself. He had been in the circle since his junior year of high school, so to suddenly have to leave, made him feel odd. But, he was doing it for a reason. Now that he was unofficially in the band, he needed to start cleaning out his closet.

He remembered the packet of ecstasy in his nightstand drawer and bit his lip. Maybe he would keep that as a memento of some sort. He rolled over to the other side and pulled open the drawer. The packet crinkled in his hand as he stared at the multicolored tablets and ran his thumb over them. They had little smiley faces on them. He knew they were supposed to make him feel good and he was tempted to try one out now, but he needed to be sober for tomorrow, so he placed them back and sat down in front of his laptop to check WOF’s website.

 

////

 

Tao placed his staff by the front door and dropped his bags. He was a tad bit tipsier than the last time he’d been out. But, everyone needed to let loose every once and a while. When he caught sight of Yixing looking incredibly pissed off and screaming at Junmyeon, he slipped quietly to his room. He had never seen them fight before, so he felt awkward, but he figured all couples had spats from time to time.

However it was odd that they were arguing on the same day they got engaged. Tao hoped it was only something minor, but Yixing did look extremely mad while Junmyeon was staring at him stone faced. Tao sighed and tried to think of something to distract him from their voices.

He settled for going over his staff routines in his head. For a while it worked, until he heard the front door slam. He sat up and stared at his door for a moment before he crawled out of bed and went to check on Yixing.

When he entered the common room, he found Junmyeon sitting on the sofa staring at the ground with his jaw clenched. They made eye contact and Junmyeon forced a smile. Tao stared at him and then joined him on the sofa. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, he’s just in a bad mood.” Junmyeon said and ran his fingers through his hair.

“Why? What happened?” Tao asked. Yixing was hardly ever in a bad mood, so something big must have happened.

“I invited Kris to our celebratory brunch tomorrow and he is upset now.” Junmyeon sighed and pushed himself to his feet. “I should probably go find him…stay here and get some rest okay?”

“Why did you invite Kris?” His heart thudded in his chest. Baekhyun had been right. His eyes widened and he watched Junmyeon leave with his mouth gaping. He leapt up from the sofa and sprinted to his room to tell Baekhyun the good news when it hit him. Yixing had been upset that Kris was going. They were both awkward when they met each other the other day.

Tao gasped. He could feel the gears in his mind turning rapidly. _Yixing and Kris were exes._ He felt deflated. Tomorrow was going to be tense. His mind continued reeling. Would it be okay that he was interested in Kris? Maybe he should back off a bit? He shook his head. He knew he did not want to do that because this was the first time he had been so happy in a while. Yet something still plagued him.

 If Yixing had been this upset, then that meant that Kris did something horrible to him. He plopped down on the floor and picked at the carpet fibers, they came loose in his fingers. But what could he have done that would upset Yixing so much? Did he cheat on him? Yixing never did speak about who he dated before Junmyeon. Speaking of Junmyeon, why would he want to be around the guy that dated Yixing?

Tao knew he was a very kind spirit and always had everyone’s best interest in mind. But that honestly confused him. Maybe he was curious to see if Yixing still had feelings for him? But that would mean he didn’t trust Yixing and that would cause even more problems.

He wracked his mind even more. What was he supposed to do? Should he call Kris and talk to him about it? Maybe he should try to convince him to not go tomorrow, but he desperately wanted to see him.

The door opened again, and he could hear Yixing and Junmyeon talking. They weren’t arguing anymore, but Yixing still sounded upset. Tao crept to his door and listened.

“You don’t know him like I do, you don’t know what he’s been through.” Yixing said.

“I know that Kris is making him happy. Have you seen him lately?” Junmyeon responded.

“But what if it ends the same way? What if he breaks his heart?” Yixing replied.

“We can’t protect Tao from everything Xingxing. He has to learn on his own and if that means getting his heart broken, then so be it. He is not a child no matter how much you want him to be. Kris already told you he had changed, so let’s give him a chance okay? For Tao’s sake?”

Tao stood slowly and frowned. They had been fighting about him and Kris. He wrinkled his nose and sat on the edge of his bed. He was a grown man, only nineteen, but what difference did that make? He could handle himself. He did it back in his country and he could do it again. Just because he had shown weakness before, did not mean he was always going to be this way. He knew Yixing and Junmyeon were just looking out for him, but it irked him that they felt the need to dictate his life without him knowing.

He wondered briefly if they had thwarted any of his other plans without his knowledge. He was aware of Yixing keeping him in most nights, and he honestly did not mind as Yixing was his best friend, but now more than ever, he needed to change things. He’d show them that he could handle himself tomorrow. He’d show them that he was not a baby. Tao glared at the door as if he could see Junmyeon and Yixing. It was time he took his life into his own hands.

////

 

Chanyeol woke up to Kyungsoo giggling madly followed by the sound of Kai’s voice joining in on the laughter. He groaned and pulled his pillow over his head and tried to go back to sleep. The laughing persisted and then was followed by the sound of skin being smacked. He paused, holding his breathe and listened as he heard Kyungsoo chastising Kai and then rolled out of bed and opened his door.

Kai was rubbing his face while Kyungsoo’s cheeks were growing pink. Chanyeol cleared his throat and mumbled. “Morning.” He walked past them into the kitchen and made himself a bowl of cereal to eat. He watched sleepily as Kai dragged Kyungsoo into the latter’s room and shut the door. He shrugged and continued eating in silence. At least Kyungsoo was getting some.

When he finished he rinsed out the bowl and put it away. He did not want Kyungsoo getting on him about not cleaning up after himself again. He started towards his room when there was a knock at his door. Wondering who it could possibly be so – he glanced at the clock, it was a few minutes after eight – early and ran his fingers through his hair and opened the door.

“Hey.” Baekhyun said as he looked up at Chanyeol demurely.

Chanyeol’s breath caught in his throat. Baekhyun looked as though he was headed to one of their concerts. His jeans were illegally tight and the black jacket he had on extenuated the curve of his wide hips. His eyes were perfectly lined and his hair was styled in a careful messy look. “H-hi…”

Baekhyun bit his lip and stared at Chanyeol. “Are you going to let me in?”

“Oh! Of course.” Chanyeol stepped aside and then gestured to Kyungsoo’s room. “Kai and Kyungsoo are in there, so I suggest you steer clear of that room.” He paused and caught sight of himself in the mirror. “I need to take a shower so uh, my room is over there, and the television is in the common room.”

Baekhyun nodded his head and walked to Chanyeol’s room. “I’ll just chill in here until you’re done.”

Chanyeol half smiled and headed towards the bathroom. Another knock on the door stopped him. He rushed over to answer it and found Lin and Ai on the other side. He groaned internally because he had been hoping for a relatively quiet day spent with Baekhyun.

“You let Baekhyun in the band?!” Lin screamed excitedly. “Can he sing? Tell me he can sing!”

Chanyeol froze. He suddenly felt as though everyone was in his dorm and wanted them all to leave. He met Ai’s gaze for a moment before addressing Lin and almost shuddered from the ice in her gaze. “Yeah?”

Just then, Baekhyun walked back out of Chanyeol’s room with a curious expression on his face. In an instant Lin was all over him, complimenting his hair and outfit while Ai gave him an aloof look. He glanced at Chanyeol with distress in his eyes for a brief moment before thanking Lin and peeling her off of him.

Chanyeol cleared his throat and warned the excited girl, “Lin…”

She ignored him. “So you can sing right? Let’s hear it.” She placed her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow.

Baekhyun balked and backed into the wall. “Umm.” He glanced at Chanyeol again with apprehension wafting off of his entire demeanor.

Chanyeol fought the urge to laugh and walked over to Baekhyun and slung his arm around his shoulders. He knew that Lin could be a little headstrong when meeting people, and Baekhyun was clearly not expecting that at all. “He can sing. And calm down Lin you might scare him off.” He could feel the wave of tension roll off of Ai the moment he made contact with Baekhyun, but he didn’t care. She needed to know where she stood.

Suddenly Kyungsoo’s door opened and they both froze. “Is there a party going on or something?” Kai asked and then turned to Baekhyun. “Oh, hey Baek, you look pretty damn hot.”

Kyungsoo grinned and clapped Baekhyun on the back. “Told you, you’d get in.”

Baekhyun stared at them. “Are you two?”

“No!” They both said quickly.

Chanyeol gave them a wary look. “Yeah they are. I woke up to them being loud.” The way Kyungsoo’s eyes widened at the statement made him laugh. He knew they could only deny it for so long. He then turned to Lin and Ai. “I’m going to take a shower and get ready for my date, so we can all get together some other time okay?”

Ai remained frozen. Her eyes went from Baekhyun to Chanyeol and then to Lin. She nodded slowly and slipped out the door with Lin in tow. He had to remind himself not to visibly relax at their absence because that would give off the wrong impression. Now it was just the four of them and Chanyeol walked towards the bathroom for the third time.

Once inside, he heard the three of them talking and frowned. Why was it that those three could get along so well, while Ai made everything awkward, standing silently, judging Baekhyun? He could practically foresee more drama within the band and that worried him.

He knew he didn’t have to worry about Lin, since she generally liked everyone, but he still did not want to have a bad dynamic in the band. He sighed as he peeled off his clothes and jumped in the shower. The water ran over his shoulders and he continued to think about the first show they’d perform with the new members. They had yet to practice and he was already feeling nervous.

 

~*~

 

Baekhyun sent another text to Sehun, teasing him about losing his money and then plopped down on Chanyeol’s bed. Kai and Kyungsoo left to go ice skating so now he was alone. He heard the shower cut off and his stomach flipped. He hadn’t noticed if Chanyeol had grabbed a change of clothes or not, so now his mind was focused on seeing him drenched and fresh from the shower.

He bit his lip and tried to think of other things, when Chanyeol walked in with only a towel wrapped around his waist. His jaw dropped and he quickly turned away as dirty thoughts flashed through his mind. He had already decided to be on his best behavior today after the way he freaked out last night, but Chanyeol was making it incredibly difficult.

He snuck a glance and found Chanyeol still searching for a shirt. He watched as a drop of water rolled down his back and before he knew what he was doing, he was rising to his feet and walking over to him.

Chanyeol looked at him and grinned. “Sorry, I can’t find the top I’m looking for.”

Baekhyun bit his lip again and tried to think through the fog of thoughts plaguing him. He blinked and took a deep breath. “Do you need help?”

Chanyeol shook his head. “Nah, I found it.”

Baekhyun let out a sigh of relief and turned to leave the room, but Chanyeol grabbed his wrist, hand still steaming from the boiling shower he had taken. He felt his heartbeat speed up and once again followed the wet trail of another droplet of water, licking his lips in response. It was absorbed by the towel hanging precariously low on Chanyeol’s hips. He gulped and looked back up. “Um.”

“Are you alright? You look a little red.” He leaned down, sprinkling water onto Baekhyun’s face from his hair.

Baekhyun swallowed and stared at the floor. His heart was pounding in his ears and the blood rushed to his face. “I – I’m fine, just a little nervous.” He mentally slapped himself for saying that last bit but when he glanced up at Chanyeol and saw his expression he blushed even more.

“Nervous? About hanging out with me? I’m just your lab partner.” He laughed and quickly tugged the shirt over his head. There were dark spots forming on the fabric as his hair had yet to dry.

Baekhyun snorted. Chanyeol was much more than just his lab partner. He was the guy he had pined over since the moment he laid eyes on him. The fact that he was hanging out with him was every fan’s dream. He took a step back and bumped into Chanyeol’s dresser, nearly knocking over some of the stuff in the process and tried to put enough distance between them so he would not be tempted to take him on the floor.

Chanyeol seemed oblivious to Baekhyun’s emotions at the moment because he simply continued getting dressed as if he was not in the room. The moment the towel fell from his waist, Baekhyun whimpered involuntarily. He glanced over at him and mumbled an apology and quickly pulled on a pair of jeans.

Baekhyun bit his lip almost to the point of bleeding. It was their first date and he had already seen Chanyeol naked. The thoughts running through his head at the moment were not too pure either. He turned to face the wall and took a deep breath. He needed to calm his nerves if he was going to act remotely normal today.

Chanyeol simply slung his arm around Baekhyun’s shoulder and led them out of his room. “So what do you want to do today?”

_‘We could go back to your room and strip naked and – stop! Think clean thoughts!’_ Baekhyun cleared his throat. “We can do whatever you want, I really don’t have a preference.”

Chanyeol stared at Baekhyun and grinned. “I know exactly what we’re doing then!” He grasped his wrist and tugged him after him through the door. “It’ll be fun, I promise.”

Baekhyun let the smile bloom across his face. He had no idea what was in store, but he was looking forward to it.

 

////

 

Kris stared awkwardly at his hands as Junmyeon unpacked the food from the wicker picnic basket and placed it on the beige blanket they were using. Tao playfully nudged him with his foot when he noticed him being quiet, “Talk, why are you being so shy?”

A quick flick of the eyes to Yixing and Tao visibly stiffened. Kris ran his fingers through his blonde hair and forced a smile on his face. He leaned forward, “Need some help Junmyeon?” He felt his tongue trip over his name. He knew that he’d have to get used to talking to him, but he still felt unnerved.

The red head grinned, “If you could take these and open them that’d be great.” He turned to Yixing, “Love, please stop pouting, you’re making it awkward.”

Yixing gave him a blank look and let out a sigh. “Sorry, it’s early and bright out and I’m not a morning person.” He began helping Junmyeon with organizing the food.

Kris removed all the lids and placed them under their respective containers. He definitely remembered that Yixing was never a morning person and seeing that he wasn’t either that never really came up in their relationship. He pushed the thoughts of their relationship from his mind, they were over and had been for a while, so had he not gotten over him yet?

He was so caught up with his thoughts that he failed to notice that Tao had pulled out his sketch pad. He had one black clad knee bent and his glasses low on his nose. The wind brushed his onyx hair to the side and caressed the fringe of his scarf. Unable to help himself, Kris crawled over and peeked over his shoulder. What he saw caused his jaw to drop and an audible puff of air to escape. “That’s amazing…”

Tao beamed up at him. “You guys were so busy and I didn’t know how to help so…” his cheeks reddened and he shifted his sketch book for Kris to get a better look.

Kris sat down partially behind Tao and rested his head on his shoulder. He knew he was being watched by Yixing and Junmyeon but he was so captivated by the image in front of him he didn’t care. Besides the warmth radiating off of Tao on the cool morning was much welcomed.

He watched as Tao continued sketching the scene in front of them. He could see the large Ferris wheel, and the various stands of fried food and overly sweet treats. There were little sketches of people milling about and a roller coaster or two. When he glanced up at the actual scene and then back to the sketch he could barely contain his awe. Tao certainly was talented and he knew his weakness for artists was in full effect. “You even got the little balloons by the entrance…” he trailed off as he continued to compare the two.

Tao perked up a bit and giggled nervously. “It’s just a simple sketch, nothing impressive.”

“Well I’m impressed.” Kris stated and then sat up straight and felt the blood rush to his face. “Sorry.” He mumbled and put some space between them.

Tao shook his head, “Don’t be,” he paused to wet his lips, “It’s kind of cold out here, so the extra warmth is nice.” He then scooted closer so that their shoulders touched.

Kris nodded, “Oh, okay then.” He met Junmyeon’s eyes and shied back even more. The scrutiny in them made him feel incredibly self-conscious. He nervously cleared his throat and tried to break the awkward air. “So, are we gonna eat or not?” He laughed weakly when no one responded and then ran his fingers through his hair again.

“Yeah, I’m starving!” Tao suddenly chirped and reached for one of the containers. He began serving while Yixing and Junmyeon whispered amongst themselves. “Ignore them, they’re being weird.” Tao chided as he handed his plate to Kris, “Here, I made yours first.”

Kris stared at the plate and then reached for it. “Thank you.” He waited until Tao had made his own plate before eating and after the first bite he let himself savor the food. “This is delicious!”

Yixing preened. “I woke up early to cook all this, so I’m glad someone appreciates it.”

Tao knocked shoulders with Kris and hummed happily as he chewed. He seemed to be in a great mood and it was starting to rub off on Kris. He felt his spirits lifting and before he knew it, he was laughing.

Everyone gave him a confused look, but he was not perturbed. The weather felt nice, it was a clear sky, he was with Tao, and everything looked as though it would actually work out. “I’m just happy.” He explained.

“Me too,” Tao nodded, “I’m glad you could come so I don’t have to watch those two get all mushy in front of me.” He smiled, eyes crinkling.

Kris expected a sharp pang to go through him, but he felt nothing. The thought of Yixing and Junmyeon being engaged still hurt, but he could feel himself moving on and if anything, that made him even happier. He almost contemplated kissing Tao right then, but he knew that would be considered inappropriate so he settled for a brief shoulder squeeze, which made Tao turn ten shades of red.

Tao gave him a mildly surprised look and then slowly smiled. “Do you want to head to the carnival now?”

Kris glanced at Yixing’s and Junmyeon’s untouched plates and then at his and Tao’s empty ones. “Do you want us to wait for you guys?” He felt a little stiff when he addressed them, but he was making progress.

“No, you two go ahead.” Junmyeon answered while Yixing smiled thinly, his eyes betraying his true emotions.

“We won’t go on any rides for a while so our food can digest and I’ll keep Tao safe, so don’t worry.” He hoped he sounded as sincere as he felt. He knew his feelings were developing faster than he had anticipated, but he knew they were real nonetheless.

He stood and offered a hand for Tao, who grabbed it, and pulled him up as well. They brushed themselves off and with a nod headed down the small hill to the entrance. He felt the urge to put his arm around Tao but held back. As he did so, his phone buzzed and his mysterious helper had sent him a message:

**11:38 am - Go with your gut and good luck :)**

Kris smiled down at his phone and switched it to silent. He looked at Tao from the corner of his eye and then slung his arm over his shoulders. Feeling Tao’s body relax into him made him grin even more. The day could only get better.

 

////

“So this is where you guys practice?” Baekhyun asked, eyes wide, taking in every detail of the room. It had been one of his dreams to see where they practiced after they moved from the garage so many years ago. It made the place feel sacred. He took each step gingerly, afraid to mess up the aura in the room.

Chanyeol watched him with a small smile. His eyes following every move Baekhyun made, causing him to blush slightly when he turned to face him. “Well we used to practice in Dongmin’s dorm, but since he’s gone, we rented this place.” He answered as he felt along the wall looking for the light switch.

The room came to life the moment the light switched on. Chanyeol’s drum set sat in the left hand corner, unused. Lin’s guitar was leaning against the wall, freshly cleaned and sparkling. Dongmin’s old bass was still in its case in the center of the makeshift stage. The nerves in Baekhyun’s spine tingled as he absorbed each of their instruments. He longed to touch the set that Chanyeol put his heart and soul into. That particular item had to have been the most sacred of all.

Baekhyun watched as Chanyeol stared at the bass in the center of the stage. He wondered what was going through Chanyeol’s mind, but the second their met eyes again, the dark emotion had been erased. Chanyeol spotted Lin’s acoustic off stage and ran over to get it. He met Baekhyun’s gaze with playful eyes and tuned it. “Can you freestyle?”

Baekhyun scoffed, “Can _I_ freestyle?” He could feel his pulse in his fingers. His mouth went dry instantly and if not for the fact that he braced himself against the wall as nonchalantly as he could, he would have passed out. The thought of singing for Chanyeol made his head buzz. He silently prayed that he would not mess up and make a fool of himself.

Chanyeol continued grinning, “Yeah you, who else is here?” He raised an eyebrow and strummed the guitar to make sure it was tuned correctly. “I’m not the best since I’ve only been playing a few years, but let’s give this a shot.”

Baekhyun visibly reddened and sat on the edge of the stage next to Chanyeol. His eyes remained glued to his hands as the first notes were plucked. He tried to level his breathing by swaying for a few moments, and began singing softly. He knew that Chanyeol could hardly hear him, but his sudden onset of shyness would not let him do otherwise.

Chanyeol froze for half a beat and immediately strummed softer. He leaned over slightly and whispered, “It’s just you and me, and no one can hear you.”

Baekhyun looked at him with a deer-in-headlights expression and nodded his head. “Sorry.” He took a deep breath and began singing a bit louder. His nerves slowly melted away and he forgot about his awe for Chanyeol and saw him through a different lens. He no longer was Chanyeol-the-super-star-drummer and instead he was his bandmate and that was a scale he could handle.

Baekhyun continued to stare straight ahead at the wall plastered with posters from all their previous shows and let his emotions take him completely. He felt the rawness flow from him. Every word that left his lips lifted more and more weight off of him, until he glanced over at Chanyeol and met his gaze. He breathed in a little sharper and hesitated before singing the chorus again as Chanyeol’s eyes were filled with so much hope and relief.

He obviously had taken a risk letting Baekhyun into the band without having heard him at all, and now sitting there performing for him, Baekhyun felt as if he was on air. He could only imagine what he would feel on stage in front of thousands of – hopefully – adoring fans. He knew this would be a big change for the band, and he knew how fans react especially because he knew he would have initially been upset with a new singer regardless of their talent. It was a weird quirk that the minds of fans had, and transitioning from fan to band member would allow him much more insight to how the mob-mind worked.

Somewhere between Baekhyun’s realization of just how big a deal being a member was and Chanyeol’s unexpected guitar skills, they were writing a new song. They fed off each other’s energy and natural talent. Couplets and rhythm flowed from both of them with such ease that Baekhyun wondered if songwriting would always be this easy. They were halfway through the second play through when Baekhyun pulled out his phone and recorded it so they could use it as a demo to show Lin and Ai.

Baekhyun soon found himself in a therapeutic trance. The topic of the second song was about knowing that a love wasn’t going to work – something he was incredibly familiar with – and the more he sang the demo, the lighter he felt. It wasn’t long before he felt his throat constricting and it became harder and harder to sing. His breaths were shallow and shuddering as he fought the tears. He knew he was singing it from the spurned lover’s point of view and he could not help but think of Chanyeol singing it to him. The more he thought about it the harder it became to breathe. It wasn’t long before he held up a finger and gathered himself before continuing.

He could feel Chanyeol’s gaze on him become more and more concerned, but with each new verse, he felt as though there were fewer skeletons in his closet. His eyes burned and his voice cracked, but it was helping him in some way. By now Chanyeol was only strumming a few chords and beating lightly on the guitar to keep rhythm. Baekhyun felt as though he was on the brink of tears again, when Chanyeol stopped playing and placed a hand on his.

“Are you okay?” His lips were pulled into a slight frown and his touch was gentle.

Baekhyun tried to nod, but Chanyeol had pulled him into warm hug and was rubbing soothing circles into his back. He felt his body relax and was able to hold back the tears. He pushed back slightly and mumbled, “Thank you…I guess I needed that.”

Chanyeol’s frown deepened. “Is something bothering you?”

Baekhyun shook his head. “I’m okay, those lyrics just hit a little close to home, that’s all.” In his head he kept seeing Chanyeol glaring at him bitterly while the lyrics circled around him. It had a slight echo to it and the world before his eyes swam. He took a deep breath and forced the thoughts from his mind.

Chanyeol bit his lip. “Alright…well, let’s take a break and just talk.”

Baekhyun snorted and tried to think of something to change the topic. “Can’t believe we came up with two demos.” He gave Chanyeol a small smile knowing it didn’t hide his emotions in his gaze. “You didn’t want to hang out, you just wanted to work didn’t you?” He shoved him playfully.

Chanyeol feigned shock. “What? Work? No, of course not!” He laughed and shoved Baekhyun in return.

Baekhyun relaxed and giggled, “I see how it is…” he trailed off and pushed Chanyeol onto his back and crawled on top of him. “This was supposed to be a date…how sneaky of you.”

Chanyeol chuckled. “Date? Who said anything about a date?” Before Baekhyun could respond, he pulled him into a kiss, wrapping his arms around him and pressing into him. He rolled over so that he was on top and kissed Baekhyun’s neck, leaving a hot trail before lightly biting him.

Baekhyun squirmed beneath him, trying to hold in the moan threatening to come out. He bit down hard on his bottom lip as Chanyeol tugged the collar of his shirt down to expose part of his shoulder, which was sucked on. _‘Oh God!’_ his mind screamed and he scrambled to pull Chanyeol back to his mouth.

They took turns tasting each other’s mouth, tongue swiping playfully at each other’s and nibbling on each other’s lips. When Chanyeol captured his bottom lip between his and gave it a languid swipe, shivers ran through Baekhyun’s entire body. He groaned involuntarily and arched into Chanyeol. He hooked one leg around his waist and grinded into him.

Chanyeol responded the only way he could and hooked one finger in the belt loops of Baekhyun’s jeans. He pulled away slightly and breathed, “Do you want to?”

Baekhyun struggled to clear his mind. “N-not yet.” He weakly pushed Chanyeol’s hand away but it remained there until Baekhyun completely cleared his head. It was then that he saw just how much desire was in Chanyeol’s face that he nearly caved. “After the first show.”

Chanyeol nodded and then pushed Baekhyun’s shirt up and kissed his hips. Baekhyun’s eyes fluttered closed and he let Chanyeol trail his soft lips up to his neck once more. When their lips met again, a question flew from Baekhyun before he could stop it. “Do you guys do drugs?”

The way Chanyeol’s body froze was enough of an answer for Baekhyun. He found himself staring at Chanyeol’s back and wondered how on earth he moved that fast.

“There is a strict no drugs agreement amongst our members. Too many close calls…” Chanyeol turned to face Baekhyun with a benign smile, “Not that I have to worry about you.”

 

////

 

The people at the front of the line moved forward and Tao and Kris followed suit. It had gotten much colder all of a sudden, so everyone seemed to be huddling to conserve heat, except for him and Kris. They had separated when he ran to get in line while Kris lingered behind him walking as if he was on a runway. Yet, Tao still was not sure if he should breach his space, so he stayed about a foot to his side.

He could barely control the desire to simply lean against him with the veil of “conserving heat”, of course part of him just wanted to be close to Kris. Just the cologne that was gently caressing his senses was almost enough to drive him wild. Each time the wind picked up, he caught himself inhaling a little deeper and savoring it, hoping that Kris had not noticed.

He kept staring at the couples walking around holding hands and cuddling and wanted nothing more than to do that with Kris. The thought surprised him as he usually never felt that way about anyone, but then again, he wanted to take things into his own hands. Plus, he felt much happier than usual so he supposed the thought was a product of that.

“Are their ghosts in this haunted house?” Tao asked as they waited in line. He knew it was a silly fear, but it was something his grandmother had always warned him about, so despite the fact he never had any interaction with the paranormal, it still unnerved him.

Kris stopped bouncing on his toes for a few minutes and scrutinized the sign at the entrance. “Not that I can see,” he turned back to Tao, “Why?”

Tao stared at his feet, slightly embarrassed. “Well…”

“You’re afraid of ghosts?” Kris asked and then laughed. “I have to admit, that’s kind of cute.”

“Cute?” Tao scrunched his nose. How on earth was being afraid of something cute? He narrowed his eyes at Kris and lightly bumped into him with his shoulder.

“Yeah,” Kris started bouncing on his toes again and rubbing his hands together. “You’re a martial artist and you’re afraid of something like ghost.” He puffed air into his hands to warm them.

Tao pouted. “Shut up. They could be real.” He then stepped closer to Kris and pulled his hands into his pockets to help warm them. A slow curl of his lips was the only response he had to Kris’s widening eyes and faint shade of pink on his cheeks. He was determined to at least get a kiss today, so he knew he had to work his magic.

Kris seemed to have forgotten how speak and simply stared at Tao and nodded. Tao took this as a chance to rest his head against Kris’s shoulder and was greeted by him stiffening at first and then relaxing. “You sure are touchy today.”

Tao smiled, “Autumn and winter are cuddle season, so I’m taking advantage of that.” He pressed a little harder against Kris for emphasis.

The line advanced and they were the next group to go inside. They had to separate and walk in pairs. The house itself wasn’t scary, but it was dark and claustrophobic in a gimmicky kind of way. In fact, it was quite childish and the jump-scares did absolutely nothing for either of them.

When a man in a sheet popped up, Tao pretended to be afraid and grabbed onto Kris. They both froze, as their faces were centimeters apart, and stared at one another. They remained like that until someone behind them cleared their throat and they quickly hurried out of the haunted house.

“So, um, what was that?” Kris asked while keeping his gaze in front of him. He deftly sidestepped a running child with a puff of cotton candy in her hands and rejoined with Tao.

Tao looked at him innocently. “What was what?” He linked his arm through Kris’s and wondered if he was so happy because he took his medication or because he was with Kris. He supposed it was a bit of both.

“Back in the haunted house.” Kris stopped walking and stared at Tao.

“When we almost kissed?” Tao asked, tilting his head to the side in a cat-like manner.

“Yeah – no, I mean, yes that.” Kris stuttered face reddening.

Kris was rather cute when he got all flustered like that, Tao decided. “One of us has to make a move.” He winked and pulled Kris after him, “Let’s go on the Ferris wheel.” He was on cloud nine for some reason and had no idea why. He knew he was acting out of character but it was all part of his plan. Something in the air had him feeling as though this was the first day he could see clearly in a long time and he was going to take advantage of that. He felt as though he was in control of things again.

Luckily for them there wasn’t even a line for the Ferris wheel, so they were able to board it quickly after buying some cotton candy. As the wheel turned and they were brought higher and higher, Tao felt even lighter than ever. He knew exactly what he was going to say, and he could only hope that Kris would take it the way he wanted him to.

“Kris–”

“Tao–”

Tao inhaled deeply, “You go first.”

Kris smiled sheepishly. “Thank you for today…it’s the first time I actually had fun in a long time.”

“Fun? Kris, we’ve only been in one haunted house and this is our first ride.” Tao giggled. “The day hasn’t even started yet.” He smiled at him brightly, “But, yeah today has been oddly good for me too. Definitely the first time in a long time I’ve felt this happy.”

“There must be something with today then, because even though we haven’t done much, I feel really good.” Kris stared at his hands. “But I did want to bring something up…”

Tao felt his smile falter a bit, but he tried not to let it show how nervous he had become. “Yes?”

“So…about what I said a few nights ago…” Kris began, but trailed off.

Tao grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze. “You were drunk, people say things when their drunk, I get that. But,” he paused and took a deep breath. It was now or never. “I like you, Kris, I actually do, and it’s been a while too.” He stared at Kris’s hand and played with his fingers. “I used to secretly watch the games and I kind of had a thing for you for a few months.”

Kris stared at him wide-eyed. “Really?”

Tao nodded and continued to play with Kris’s hand. He was still waiting for Kris to respond how he hoped he was, but he could be patient if he had to. He had no problem starting slow.

Kris gently turned Tao’s face towards his and studied it, eyes searching for truth. When he found it, he leaned in closer until their noses brushed. Tao felt his heart flutter. He had not been kissed since the accident and that was about a year ago.

He closed the distance and when their lips met his heart swelled. There were not bells in the back of his head, or explosions in his vision, or any of those clichés. Instead it was just pure bliss. It felt right and it felt incredible. As if he had waited his whole life for a kiss like that. His entire body melted and all train of thought had vanished. Nothing clouded him, no worries, no sounds, no sights, nothing. He simply felt passion and that was all he needed. He was living in the moment.

 

////

Baekhyun froze. Chanyeol could not find out about his past. A huge part of him was relieved that Sehun had gotten him out of the circle when he did, while part of him was shocked that Sehun seemed to have predicted this moment. He guessed he should have given his roommate more credit where it was due. _‘I should thank him when I see him later.’_ He tried to compose his face when he noticed Chanyeol’s smile falter and made up a quick lie. “I saw a few rumors last week and just wanted to make sure. Obviously, I would _never_ do that stuff.”

“Oh, good.” Chanyeol laughed awkwardly and ran his fingers through his hair. “I thought you had a secret past or something.”

Baekhyun’s face tightened. “Nope. No secret past. Clean as a whistle.” It came out rushed and the odd look he received from Chanyeol made him worry that he suspected he was lying.

Chanyeol smiled weakly. “Well we have the occasional beer or shots at parties, but other than that, we stay away from the hardcore stuff. Don’t want to risk what happened a few years ago…”

Eyebrows furrowing, Baekhyun scooted closer to Chanyeol. “What happened a few years ago?” His heart was pounding so loud he could barely hear his voice in his own ears. He hoped turning the subject off of him would calm him down.

Chanyeol gave him an embarrassed look. “We…well I had a bad run in with some painkillers…almost died.” He paused and breathed. “It became my life, I told myself I could quit any time I wanted to, but I never _wanted_ to. I just kept doing it, to the point where it was several pills a day just to make me feel normal.” His fist was clenched at his side. “I came _this close_ to over dosing and that was my wakeup call…it was all of our wake up calls, because Dongmin and Lin had no idea.”

Baekhyun glanced around the room, trying to digest what he just heard. Sure he sold some oxycotin here and there over the past few years, but he never thought of the people actually using the stuff. He knew he reacted badly to uppers, but he never really experimented with painkillers, so he just assumed that they weren’t too special. But, to hear from someone who had experienced addiction, gave him chills.

Each hair on his arm stood on end and he shivered involuntarily. “I…I didn’t know.” That also bothered him. He could have sworn he knew everything about the band, but apparently there were things not even he was aware of. Just how much did he not know about Chanyeol? “How long ago was this?”

Chanyeol sighed. “About five years ago? I was still in high school.” He snorted. “Pretty cliché huh?”

Baekhyun swallowed thickly. There was a chance he could have sold the pills to him. He started about five years ago and that was one of his first supplies. “I’m sorry.” His stomach turned at the thought of Chanyeol dying.

“It was my own stupid mistake. But being in the band saved me. Dongmin and Lin helped me through that time even when my parents wanted nothing to do with me. That was quite a shock honestly.” He trailed off and stared at the floor. “But, we’re cool now. I got clean and they’re just now accepting my career path.” He smiled but it was still filled with sadness.

“Mine are going to kill me when they find out.” Baekhyun laughed bitterly. He felt quite numb hearing Chanyeol talk about his past. It terrified him that he could have possibly aided in his death and he still could not wrap his mind around it.

“Why?”

“They want me to be a doctor. So I can’t screw up or they’ll disown me.” He barked out another laugh and hopped off the stage. He walked along the edge, feeling Chanyeol’s eyes on him. “I just wish they’d understand that I don’t want to be one. Like, they’re putting so much on my shoulders and what – what if I can’t do it?” He was staring at his reflection in a metal strip that ran from the ceiling to the floor. “What if I _fail_?”

Chanyeol walked across the stage to Baekhyun and held out his hand. “Failure or not, they’ll still love you. They may be unhappy with you, but they won’t hate you.”

Baekhyun took Chanyeol’s hand and let him pull him on stage. He then turned his back to him. “You don’t know them though.” He let it hang in the air and looked at Chanyeol over his shoulder. His mind was full of thoughts that were chased away the moment they’re gazes met.

“We can make this work. I’ll schedule practices around you, that way you won’t get too stressed. And if you need help, Lin is actually pretty smart, so I can bribe her to do your assignments if you want.” Chanyeol pulled Baekhyun into an embrace. “I will do anything to help you.”

Baekhyun felt his eyes prick and his nose sting. “Why?”

“Because I like you, Baekhyun. I really do.” He pressed his lips to Baekhyun’s head. “I know it’s a little weird, but I think I–”

“Don’t.” Baekhyun mumbled against Chanyeol’s chest. “Don’t say it.” He was afraid that if Chanyeol said it, then he might just believe it.

Chanyeol tilted Baekhyun’s face towards him. “Okay. But if you ever want to take _this_ somewhere, just let me know.” He kissed him lightly and then smiled. “No pressure.”

Baekhyun remained rooted to his spot even after Chanyeol walked to the other side. He could not believe that he was serious. How on earth could Chanyeol actually have feelings for him? How could they have developed so deeply that he knew what he was going to say? The thought of Chanyeol actually caring for him confused him. Clearly with everything that he had done, he did not deserve someone like Chanyeol. But then, who did he deserve? _‘No one. I deserve no one.’_

 

~*~

 

‘ _Damn, that brought back some memories.’_ Chanyeol took the stairs two at a time and turned to see Baekhyun staring at the floor. He felt his heart squeeze at the sight of him. He just wanted to fold him into his arms and tell him everything would be okay. It was strange though, Baekhyun came across so sure of himself in class and was quite confident in general. Seeing him like this for the past few days really put some things into perspective. He had always wondered what Baekhyun was hiding and he had a sinking feeling that parental issues were only the tip of the iceberg.

When Baekhyun finally came out of his trance he became his usual persona. He gave Chanyeol a wicked smile and jogged over to him. “What are we doing now?”

Chanyeol could still see the cracks in his mask. His smile was a little too forced and his posture too tense. He figured they needed to relax and what better way to relax than grabbing a bite to eat? “We should head to that family owned restaurant a few miles from here.”

“The one that Sehun goes to?” Baekhyun asked, giving Chanyeol a quizzical look while following him out the door.

“Sehun?” He assumed he was Baekhyun’s roommate, but had yet to actually meet him. In fact, he knew very little about Baekhyun’s social life other than the people he talked to in class. He used to see him with Kai every now and then, but they always had books with him, so he supposed that he was tutoring Kai.

“He’s my roommate. A bit of a brat sometimes, but he’s been there for me over the years.” Baekhyun smiled, genuinely for the first time since their talk.

Chanyeol figured this was a safe topic, so he pressed for more information. Besides, he needed to know who he could turn to in case something happened to Baekhyun. “How long have you known him?”

Baekhyun frowned slightly and closed one eye in thought. “Umm, about three years?” He nodded to himself, “Yeah, three years. We got pretty close actually. He’s a good guy, I really hope he does well in life.”

Chanyeol grinned. “He’s that special to you?” He definitely hit a jackpot. Now, all he had to do was get to know Sehun and then he know for sure that when he couldn’t be there for Baekhyun, that someone would take over.

“Yeah, he’s a great friend, pretty much my best friend.” Baekhyun smiled fondly. “He’s on a date with this guy, Luhan, and I helped set them up. Haven’t seen him this happy in a long time.”

“That’s nice.” Chanyeol grinned as they finally reached his car. “My roommate is like that actually.” He snickered. “I’ve only known him for about a semester, but he’s been really happy lately.”

Baekhyun seemed to perk up and grinned slowly. “Kyungsoo right?”

Chanyeol couldn’t help but laugh at Baekhyun. His expression was so animated that he reminded him of a cartoon. “Yeah, short, dark hair, big eyes, that’s him.”

“I knew it! I’m going to win this bet and Sehun is going to be so pissed.” He giggled for a bit and then blushed. “Sorry, Sehun and I have a bet going on about Kai and Kyungsoo and it looks like I’m winning.”

Chanyeol frowned slightly. “Whatever floats your boat.” Personally he was never into other people’s relationships and liked to keep his own rather low key. Of course he liked PDA, but now that the band was getting more famous by the day, he worried whether or not he could date as freely.

“It’s not like that. I just set them up too, so I’m invested….five hundred dollars to be honest.” Baekhyun explained. When Chanyeol only raised an eyebrow, he continued. “I just want them both to be happy.”

Chanyeol chuckled. “You’re quite the matchmaker aren’t you?” He wondered if that was why he reacted so odd back on the stage. He still wants to tell him his feelings, but he wanted to make sure that Baekhyun was comfortable first, so he could put his feelings on hold for the time being. He just hoped it wouldn’t be for long, especially after that make-out session they had. As much as he wanted Baekhyun to keep his promise, he did not want to pressure him in any way.

They pulled up to the restaurant and sat in the car for a few moments before Baekhyun leaned over and kissed Chanyeol. “Thank you for not pushing me back there.”

Chanyeol felt his dazed grin slide off his face. He watched as Baekhyun hopped out the car and walked to the entrance. He had no idea what he was getting into, but he hoped that he could fix him. He had pieced his life back together and he wanted to be the glue that fixed Baekhyun.

 

////

 

Kris stared at his steering wheel. He waited patiently for Tao to say goodbye to Junmyeon and Yixing and fiddled with the radio until he found a station he liked. They had an amazing time at the fair and the sun had set a while ago. He wanted to take Tao to the lakeside to see the meteor shower.

When a breeze slipped through his half lowered window, he called out, “Tao bring some blankets, please!”

Tao turned to him and nodded before running inside while Junmyeon and Yixing approached his car.

Kris tightened his grip on the wheel involuntarily and then loosened his muscles. He gave them a curt smile and hoped they wouldn’t say too much.

“Seems like you two get along quite well.” Junmyeon chirped. He had his hands firmly planted in his pockets and his breath came out like smoke in the chilly weather. “As far as I’m concerned, you are a gentleman and I can tell you genuinely care about him.” He smiled and nudged Yixing.

“Just don’t hurt him.” Yixing mumbled and then took a deep breath. “I mean, please do better this time.” He turned and saw Tao standing behind them with a mildly shocked look on his face.

Kris leaned to see past Junmyeon and smiled at Tao. “Come on, we want to get a good spot.”

Tao remained rooted to his spot, glancing between him and Yixing. He didn’t move until Junmyeon clapped him on the back and took Yixing’s hand. “We’re calling it an early night, don’t be out too late.”

Kris kept his face placid as Tao slid into his car, blankets still bundled in his arms. He glanced at him and shrugged. “They’re just worried about you.”

Tao frowned. “I know, but why?” He pulled his seatbelt on and pushed the blankets to the floor. “What did you do to Yixing?”

The engine rumbled to life as Kris turned the key. He had no desire to even talk about it, let alone so soon. He glanced over at Tao and gave him a look that he hoped conveyed his discomfort with the topic and then trained his eyes on the road.

He feared that if he told Tao what had happened, then he would think of him differently, or perhaps even hate him. He knew it was his past and that he didn’t do that stuff anymore, but he had no idea how Tao would handle it. In all honesty, he didn’t know Tao well enough for him to predict his actions, but he knew something had happened to make Yixing and Junmyeon so protective of him. He wondered what it was, but he was not going to press for information. Especially since he was not ready to give all the details of his past yet.

Tao appeared to have understood the look and changed the subject. “So why do we need blankets?”

Kris felt his shoulders relax. That was a question he could answer. “It’s cold outside and I want us to be comfortable for the surprise.”

Tao’s eyes brightened. “Oh! What are we doing?” He visibly perked up and started looking at his surroundings. “Why are we going to the lake?”

Kris simply smiled in response and kept driving for a few minutes. “You’ll find out.” He turned right and pulled into a residential area nearby the lake and parked. He raised his eyebrows and opened the door. “Let’s go.”

Tao hesitantly climbed out of the car, arms full of blankets and shut the door with his hip. “We’re in a neighborhood you know.”

Kris nodded. He had learned from experience that parking by the lakeside usually resulted in some type of ticket, so he figured parking in a nearby neighborhood would protect him from that. The wind blew his hair and made his eyes sting a bit. He squinted and then walked around to his trunk to grab the remaining blankets.

He led Tao across the road towards the lake. He glanced up at the sky and grinned at how clear it was. Tonight would be the perfect night to watch the meteor shower. He waited for Tao before heading to the grassy patch by the water’s edge.

The lake looked like ink as it sloshed lazily in the breeze. The light from the stars was reflected on its surface and the lack of the moon made it seem surreal. Kris unrolled the blankets in his arms on the ground and made a soft pallet before he finally spoke to Tao.

“Do you know what tonight is?”

Tao shook his head and dropped the blankets to his feet. “Should I know?” He sat on the edge of the blanket and reached for one of the ones he brought and wrapped it around his shoulders.

Kris laughed. “Nah. But, pay close attention to the sky.” He pulled out his phone to check the time. It was a little after midnight so that meant the meteor shower would be starting soon. He reached across Tao’s lap to grab a blanket to wrap around himself. His elbow brushed against Tao’s thigh and they both froze.

Clearing his throat, Kris pulled the blanket tight. “Little chilly, huh?”

Tao nodded but stared out at the lake instead. His gaze seemed far away, as though he was lost in his thoughts. He remained on the very edge of the blanket even after Kris beckoned for him to move closer.

Kris bit his lip and sighed. He knew he’d have to come clean about Yixing eventually, but he really did not want to ruin the night. He sighed again and faced Tao. “Look, I’ve done some things in my past that I’m not proud of.”

Tao continued to stare at the lake, but Kris could tell he was listening. “I’m just not ready to tell you what happened yet. But, I really like you and I want to take this seriously, so if you just give me time, I promise I’ll tell you everything.”

Kris frowned when Tao did not respond, but it soon curled into a shy smile. Tao had moved from the corner of the blanket to right by him, resting his head on Kris’s shoulder. Kris opened his arm and wrapped Tao inside the blanket with him and looked up at the sky.

The first meteor shot across the sky in a sparkling stream of light. A few more followed afterwards leaving similar glittering trails. A soft gasp from Tao was all Kris needed to know he had made the right decision. First he had taken Tao to the art exhibit and tonight he was showing him the natural art that the universe made.

He snuck a glance at Tao and pulled him closer. “Isn’t it amazing?”

Tao nodded, his lips slightly parted. His dark eyes reflected the dozens of meteors that sailed across the night sky. He followed one, turning his head as he did so and then closed his eyes.

Kris smiled and said. “I’d make a wish, but all of mine have come true today, especially right now.” He knew it was cheesy to say, but the look on Tao’s face made it worth it.

Tao’s words came out in visible puffs of warm air. “I can’t believe this. How did you know it was tonight?” Tao was still following the meteors, wide eyed.

“I know a lot of things.” Kris said and then winked. He felt free and intensely happy. Today had been straight out of a dream and he could barely believe that it had even happened. He bit the inside of his cheek to make sure he was, in fact, awake and watched the shooting stars in the reflection of Tao’s eyes.

It was a cliché date, but something about Tao’s boyish charm made him want to take things slow and keep his innocence for as long as possible. Part of him wanted to protect him from all the bad things in the world and the longer he gazed at him staring up into the sky the stronger the feeling grew.

The complete look of wonder and awe made Tao appear to be years younger. The wind ruffled his black hair and turned his nose and cheeks red. Kris swore he saw an aura around him and his heart started beating faster.

Without thinking he turned Tao to face him and kissed him gently at first and then with more fervor. He tasted sweet like the cotton candy they had earlier and his lips were incredibly soft. He wound his fingers in his hair while Tao’s fingers grasped his shoulders. He could feel him melt into the kiss and let himself follow suit.

Tao pulled away first and laughed nervously. He stared out at the lake and in a quiet voice he said, “I think I’m falling for you.”

Kris’s heart leaped into his throat, beating even faster and louder. He moved closer and wrapped the both of them in the blankets and rested his head on Tao’s. “I promise I won’t hurt you.” He felt Tao sigh and then watched as more meteors fell, creating a fairytale like scene in front of them.

 

~*~

 

Baekhyun threw himself on his bed and sighed. Today had been amazing and he had actually let himself have fun for once. He had relaxed around Chanyeol and even opened up to him through song. Baekhyun rolled over onto his back and sighed again with a lazy smile. They had made out twice today and each time it was getting harder and harder to resist going much further with Chanyeol.

He wanted him so bad, yet he was not ready to go there. Sure he had done plenty of things when he first started selling drugs. Some of his suppliers had demanded that he pay them with his body and being new to the whole thing, he did not know that he could refuse.

Baekhyun only remembered glimpses of his first time. He ended up losing his virginity at the ripe age of fourteen to a senior with vague hands in a dark smoke filled room. His breath smelled of nacho flavored Doritos and mountain dew and his lips were chapped and rough. Baekhyun shivered and moved on to thinking of something less depressing.

He remembered running through a thunderstorm in the dead of night. His hair was plastered to his head and with the rain, he could barely see. Each house looked the same, bone white skeletons stark against the dark night. Their windows were looked like angry eyes glaring at him as he was being chased. It had been a deal gone wrong and the customers were chasing him through the deserted neighborhood attempting to rob him.

He tripped over something when lightening flashed and scraped his hands and knees. The asphalt stung and his heart was beating erratically. He glanced over his shoulder and could see the three guys getting closer. With only a second to decide, Baekhyun rolled into the high grass and crawled towards the house.

His throat was dry despite the rain slapping him in the face and his breathing was labored. He pressed himself flat against the wall and waited for the three men to pass. They were much bigger than his sixteen year old frame and could easily send him to the hospital if they got a hold of him.

Baekhyun held his breath as the three figured passed him, praying they wouldn’t see him.

“Search the houses, that little bitch is trying to cheat us.”

Baekhyun shuddered and let out a slow breath. He remained frozen for a moment before silently creeping away from the house and into the forest behind the house. He figured he would stay there overnight just to make sure they did not find him.

It took Baekhyun five tries to get a proper grip on the slippery branch and haul himself up. From his vantage point, he could the neighborhood and the figures walking from house to house. They yelled out his name and each time they did, a chill ran down Baekhyun's spine. The rain had lightened to a dull drizzle and the thunder was fading slowly. Baekhyun remained in the tree for a few more hours after the three men had long since left.

When the sun was rising, he dropped from the tree and rolled when he landed. His legs were stiff and his clothes were still drenched. He was lucky he was only visiting his grandparents for the summer, or those men would find him and possibly catch him this time.

As Baekhyun walked, he made up his mind. He needed to become scarier and rougher so that no one would try to take advantage of him. By the time he slipped through his window and stripped off his wet clothes, leaving them in a pile, he had promised himself he’d take some type of self-defense class when he returned home in a few days. But for now, he needed to lay low.

Baekhyun shuddered involuntarily once he returned from his memory. He never really liked his upbringing, but he had forgotten just how much of it was caused by his own decisions. He rolled onto his side and stared at the wall.

The dorm was still empty as Sehun was spending the night at Luhan's and Baekhyun felt extremely alone. He reached for his phone to ask if Chanyeol wanted to spend the night when he saw seven missed calls from Sehun and twelve from an unknown number. His hands shook as he called Sehun back and got the answering machine.

Baekhyun tried calling back the unknown number and kept getting a busy tone. His stomach crept into his throat and his heart hammered. He stared at the screen until a new message popped up with only an address in it. Dread filled him when he recognized the street. It was the house he had used to store his big bundles and the one that Sehun had visited a few nights ago.

Ice ran through his veins. Sehun was in trouble and he had been too lost in his own head to think to turn on his ringer. The calls were a few hours old, so that meant that Sehun had been gone since before he had arrived.

He dialed Luhan’s number and tapped his foot impatiently as it rung. “Hi Luhan, it’s Baekhyun, is Sehun with you?”

“No he left a couple hours ago saying that you needed him.” Panic was creeping into Luhan’s voice with each word. “Have you not heard from him?”

Baekhyun dropped his phone and ran to his closet to get dressed. He pulled on a black hoodie and slid the brass knuckles over his fingers. He fished through his drawer for a knife and hoped he wouldn’t need to use it. He could hear Luhan still talking on the phone and picked it up.

“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it.” He hung up and left his phone on the bed. If someone knew his number now, he would need to get a new one as soon as possible. Plus, he couldn’t risk them possibly tracking him.

He stormed out of the dorm cursing under his breath. He knew he should not have let Sehun go to the storage house, too many of his old enemies-turned-clients knew that as his residence. And if Sehun was seriously hurt, Baekhyun knew he’d never forgive himself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Sorry this is two days late, it's the holiday season and my family decided to kidnap me for the weekend -_- but, it's here now! Next fic to be updated will be FOTA so this will not be updated until after that. I'm not sure how soon all that will happen, but I'll try my best to not make it more than a month. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this update and the next one is kaisoo and hunhan~ As always, please comment I love talking to you all!
> 
> Until next time lovelies~


End file.
